Wildlife Technician II: Colby Plant
I am a wildlife technician II with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Wildlife Health Unit. I have been with the wildlife health unit for over two and a half years (time flies).
While an undergrad at SUNY Oswego, I volunteered with the Wildlife Health Unit during breaks and was hooked. While volunteering, I observed many necropsies and saw how cases are processed. After completing my degree in Zoology, I kept an eye out for positions with the Wildlife Health Unit. Luckily for me, a position opened within months, and I have been with the unit ever since.
With the Wildlife Health Unit, I currently handle most of our public-facing interactions, including our main phone line and unit email. I have also performed necropsies on hundreds of specimens, from rattlesnakes to bobcats. My position also involves helping with the everyday needs of our unit, such as purchasing supplies, paying invoices, and scheduling deliveries/maintenance. I have even been able to go out into the field to collect specimens for testing.
No two days are the same for me, but a typical day for me would look like this:
6:00 AM: Alarm, lying in my bed, trying to stay awake.
6:10 AM: Dress, brush my teeth, weigh myself, make lunch.
6:50 AM: Pack my stuff in my car and drive to the gym.
8:00 AM: Leave the gym and drive to work.
8:30 AM: Arrive at the office, check my voicemails from the public, check my emails, answer phone calls.
9:00 AM: Respond to public inquiries by phone and email. A few common inquiries are:
- I have found a dead animal. What should be done with the carcass?
- I have found a sick or injured animal. What can be done to help them?
- General questions about wildlife diseases and how to prevent them.
- What kind of animal is in this photograph?
10:00 AM: Meeting with Cornell to discuss our weeks and recent developments.
11:00 AM: Send emails to regional staff to request the retrieval and submission of interesting specimens that I discussed with the public
12:00 PM: Lunch for me typically includes a sandwich, a protein bar, a cheese stick, an apple, and a kiwi: Lunch for me typically includes a sandwich, a protein bar, a cheese stick, an apple, and a kiwi
1:00 PM: Purchase any supplies necessary for our staff and ship out supplies requested by regional staff for wildlife health-related purposes.
2:00 PM: Perform necropsies on specimens that our unit received to figure out a potential cause of death for the animal. Some recent cases include:
- A skinny bald eagle that tested positive for West Nile virus.
- A fisher that had a high amount of anticoagulant rodenticide compounds in its system.
- A raccoon with porcupine quills embedded in its snout that tested positive for rabies.
4:00 PM: Respond to any voicemails or emails, process vouchers, and write up necropsy reports for the specimens that I looked at earlier.
5:00 PM: Drive home.
5:30 PM: Arrive home and cook dinner. During warmer times of the year, I may also go for a walk or ride my bike to get some much-needed sun.
7:00 PM: Make a smoothie, then take a shower.
10:00 PM: Brush my teeth and get ready for bed.
11:00 PM: Fall asleep after getting tired of being on my phone.
