Saint Louis Zoo

The Behavior Lab at the Saint Louis Zoo studies animal behavior in a variety of species and contexts. Eli Baskir focuses on social and reproductive behaviors, as well as animal interactions with enrichment, exhibit use, and activity level, to answer both research and management questions. The Behavior Lab works closely with the Zoo’s Endocrine Lab to correlate live or video-recorded observations with hormone measures.

Sharon has conducted conservation and research projects in 30 countries around the world. A few of her research projects include a health-monitoring program for gorillas in central Africa, health assessments of sea turtles in Africa and the Americas, avian and tortoise studies in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and studying box turtle health and ecology in Saint Louis. Her interests in wildlife veterinary medicine focus on the spread of disease between domestic animals and wildlife and the health impact of environmental changes and human contact on wild species.

As the Zoo's Animal Welfare Scientist, Dr. Edes primarily uses behavior and endocrinology to better understand factors that impact animal wellbeing. While Dr. Edes specialized in primatology previously, her role at the Zoo gives her the opportunity to work with a wide variety of other taxonomic groups. Some of the topics studied at the Zoo related to animal wellbeing include understanding how guests, construction projects, or changes in husbandry impact animals, exploring various physiological indicators of welfare, and investigating how experiences throughout life contribute to health in later life. The Animal Welfare Lab works closely with the Zoo's Behavior and Endocrine labs for a more holistic perspective of animal welfare.

I am a zoo Herpetologist and conservation Biologist interested in husbandry and captive reproduction of rare and endangered species. My field conservation and research interests include Eurasian mountain vipers, venomous snakes and Amphibians of the Neo-tropics, Caribbean herpetofauna, cave ecosystems, and Radioecology.

As the Zoo’s Endocrinologist, Dr. Kozlowski's work focuses on the reproductive status and health of endangered species, both in zoos and in the wild. This is accomplished primarily through measures of gonadal and adrenal hormones in non-invasively collected samples. Corinne has validated hormone assays for more than 70 species and manages one of only three Endocrinology service labs in the country. Her research is driven by an interest in comparative aspects of physiology and behavior, with the goal of assisting in species conservation.

We currently have several ongoing endocrine and/or data-driven multi-institutional research projects related to contraception efficacy, reproductive suppression, and/or reproductive health. While, we may not always be in a stage of a project to incorporate an intern, it is worthwhile for interested students to email the RMC to inquire. One project we are hoping to get off the ground (in which we may be able to use some intern help) is investigating the relationship between contraception and diabetes in a few primate species. Another is looking at reproductive suppression in non-contracepted subordinate female callitrichids, when housed with contracepted dominant females.