Claudia Joyce ’26: Applying global perspectives to conservation at The Greenville Zoo

Some of my earliest memories consist of visiting the Georgia Aquarium with my family. Instead of a crib mobile, I fell asleep to whale sharks swimming slow circles above my head. I am fascinated by whale sharks because of their sheer size juxtaposed by their microscopic diet—zooplankton.  I recently became scuba-certified to swim alongside these gentle giants, which was one of the most transformative experiences of my life.  Besides numerous trips to the aquarium, I have always enjoyed visiting the zoo. It has been my dream to work alongside animals since childhood, and the Greenville Zoo presents the opportunity to bridge my academic and personal interests for global conservation.

My name is Claudia Joyce ’26, and I am thrilled to serve as the Conservation and Education Intern at the Greenville Zoo for the summer of 2024. The Greenville Zoo helps me apply global perspectives to conservation through my French and Sustainability Science double majors.

Working at a zoo is a unique opportunity to engage with guests across cultures and backgrounds. A typical day at the zoo consists of working at the kid camps, drafting sustainability proposals, updating the official website, shadowing animal training and even learning animal handling skills. Additionally, I work alongside passionate, like-minded individuals where we explore conservation hurdles and improve systems. My studies perfectly align with the values of the zoo to create a pleasant guest experience by promoting conservation of the environment. Above all, I have enjoyed being surrounded by animals and kids this summer to empower younger generations for sustainable change.

(At right) This is a watercolor painting of the animals at the zoo, including some SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) species. I love painting in my free time and plan to give the finished piece to the zoo staff by the end of the summer!

(Below) Claudia teaching a summer camp class as part of the Zoo’s Education program. 

My frequent visits to zoos and aquariums teach me how animals in captivity benefit sustainability and conservation efforts. The Greenville Zoo is an AZA-accredited organization, meaning it follows the highest standards for animal care and welfare. Furthermore, zoos and aquariums give animals facing death, cruelty in the pet trade, or population extinction a new opportunity to thrive. The Greenville Zoo is a proud caretaker of critically-endangered species such as the amur leopard, with roughly 50 remaining in the wild. Another testament to the benefit of zoos is the Species Survival Commission, a personalized plan to assist threatened animal populations. Even unfortunate cases such as the loss of the zoo’s African lions demonstrate the longevity of species in captivity. Both lions lived well over the 10 to 12 years they typically have in the wild and served as icons for education at the zoo.

If you are interested in learning more, visit The Greenville Zoo or follow @greenvillezoo on Instagram!