{"id":10042,"date":"2023-04-11T17:15:40","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T22:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safariwest.wpengine.com\/?page_id=10042"},"modified":"2023-06-28T15:50:24","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T20:50:24","slug":"our-research-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/safariwest.com\/research-education-conservation\/research-and-internships\/our-research-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Research Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ErikaErika Defer<\/strong> is the Director of Research, as well as the animal department assistant manager, at Safari West. As part of her role, Erika coordinates the internship program at Safari West in hopes of inspiring college students to pursue a variety of careers that involve working with exotic wildlife. Erika has been working with exotic animals in various capacities for about 15 years. She received her B.S. in Biology from Sonoma State University and her M.S. in Animal Biology from University of California, Davis. In her undergraduate, she studied Western Pond Turtles (<\/span>Actinemys marmorata<\/span><\/i>) and assisted in the head start program at Sonoma State University, in collaboration with the San Francisco and Oakland Zoos. Her master\u2019s thesis focused on parasitology and social network analysis utilizing fecal testing, PFGE with commensal E. coli, and behavioral observations to determine social networks and gastrointestinal parasite infection risk in several antelope and giraffe herds housed at Safari West. In addition to her career at Safari West, Erika also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Zoo Keepers.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Nancy<\/a>Nancy Lang<\/strong> is the founder of Safari West, along with Peter Lang. Attaining both a B.A. and an M.A. in biology from San Francisco State University as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Wales in Cardiff, Dr. Nancy Lang initially made her mark at the San Francisco Zoo. Over a twenty-year tenure, Dr. Lang founded the Avian Conservation Center and developed a highly successful program for the propagation and release of endangered birds of prey. Dr. Lang\u2019s achievements served her well and she quickly rose to the position of general curator at the San Francisco Zoo. These experiences would later prove invaluable to the conservation breeding programs active at Safari West today. Peter and Nancy met, fell in love, and married. Together they transformed a 400-acre wildlife ranch into what we now know as the Safari West Wildlife Preserve. Side by side they have carefully steered this enterprise through two and half decades of growth and development. Thanks to their combined efforts, Safari West is now a leader in wildlife conservation and a premier institution for education and research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Erika Defer is the Director of Research, as well as the animal department assistant manager, at Safari West. 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