Steven Brooks'
interest in animals began at an early age catching frogs and
turtles at the local pond. Before long, he began keeping exotic
pets. He volunteered and interned at a number of animal conservation
facilities in New York's Hudson Valley during high school
and earned his degree in Zoo Animal Technology. He has worked
with and studied animals in North America, Central America
and Madagascar, an island nation off the east coast of Africa.
He has also worked in several zoos including:
o The Central Park Zoo, New York, N.Y.
o The Trevor Zoo, Millbrook, N.Y.
o The Hudson Valley Raptor Center, Milan, N.Y.
o The Zoo Northwest Florida, Gulf Breeze, Fla.
o The Parks at Chehaw, Albany, Ga.
After witnessing first-hand the conservation issues threatening
Madagascar, he began planning Learning Gone Wild to educate
the next generation about the animals that will need their
help in the future. The idea grew to include issues within
the exotic pet trade when he rescued several neglected reptiles
and invertebrates.
Steven Brooks is supported in his mission to educate the
public about animals by his family members, who have fostered
his love of animals since he was a child. His girlfriend,
a N.Y. state licensed wildlife rehabilitator and passionate
animal advocate, has assisted in the development of Learning
Gone Wild, as well.
Steven lives in
Lagrangeville, N.Y. In addition to his efforts with Learning
Gone Wild, he operates a small scale tarantula captive breeding
facility as a hobby to help reduce the demand for wild caught
specimens entering the pet trade.
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Lauren Weeks is a
licensed wildlife rehabilitator who has participated in exotics
& wildlife rescue for over ten years. She has volunteered or
interned for over a dozen animal advocacy organizations, including
Best Friends Animal Society's wildlife & parrot facilities in
Kanab, Utah. In her free time, she spreads awareness about issues
facing animals in the wild & captivity through educational writing,
and also does presentations & tabling events with her menagerie.
A biology major, Lauren hopes to soon obtain her certification
in adolescent education and bring her love of animals to the
classroom.
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