Hello, I’m Javelis! I’m the rising second year vet student joining Marg this summer in the Lake County Aquatic Team! It’s only been 2 weeks since we started, and I feel like I have already learned so much.
This week Marg and I joined the USDA in trapping and assessing turtles in one of our field sites. It was a very hectic week with long days, but I enjoyed the challenge of working efficiently at a fast pace. I’m slowly finding my rhythm now of how I like to do things and getting more proficient when performing health assessments, blood draws, collecting swabs, and running lab work.
One of my highlights this week was seeing a sandhill crane mama and her beautiful nest while we were checking our traps along a stream. I had never seen a sandhill crane nest before and I was so amazed. It’s so marvelous how much wildlife I have been able to appreciate in between turtle encounters every day. As bird people, Marg and I have truly enjoyed moments like this.
We’ll see you next week!
By: Javelis Marín Castro (she/ella)
