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Zookeeper living the dream with otters

BILLS, Montana –

Allyson Dredla lives her childhood dream every day. She is surrounded by birds, badgers and bears, and even keeps river otters in her bathtub.

“That’s the life of a zookeeper,” she said with a laugh. “You have to do what you have to do for these animals.”

Dredla is the lead wetland manager at ZooMontana in Billings. She takes care of animals that live in aquatic habitats.

The zoo is currently building a new exhibit called Foster Waterfowl Refuge. First announced in October 2021 after receiving a $200,000 grant, the fly-in, fly-out habitat is designed to be an urban refuge for migratory waterfowl — like geese, ducks or any other aquatic bird that migrates through the state.

Fly-in and fly-out habitats are designed as refueling stations in urban environments for migratory birds. Just as pedestrians need to stop and refuel, so do birds.

Billings is located along the central flight path, one of four routes for migratory birds in the United States.

Otters eat fish and lobsters during training at ZooMontana on Wednesday, November 16 (AMY LYNN NELSON, BG)

The zoo also focuses on the fish that will become part of the shelter. The underwater fish viewing window for zoo visitors is part of the shelter’s design. All fish are native to Montana, including the prehistoric pale sturgeon. Working with the Montana FWP, will also thread catfish, lampreys and potentially gar.

According to ZooMontana’s chief executive officer, Jeff Ewelt, the new exhibition is expected to open fully by the end of next spring.

An increasing number of waterways traditionally used by migratory waterbirds are being eroded by urban development, limiting essential access to these critical bird habitats.

Dredla has worked at the zoo since 2017. The California native has always known she wanted to work for ZooMontana since she visited as a child on a family trip.

Her bubbly personality highlights her love of work and the animals she cares for. She is known for speaking to animals with the voice many people give to their dogs. A graduate of Moorpark College in California, which has an on-campus zoo to teach their students, she trained as a zookeeper for a long time.

She currently oversees three bird species that act as zoo ambassadors: the Lurch turkey vulture, the Gabel great-horned owl, and the Amarillo red-tailed hawk.

As zoo ambassadors, the birds are trained to not only stay close to humans outside of their habitat, but also perform tricks or tasks during presentations.

She is especially careful when working with individual animals, because even though they are used to her presence, they are still wild animals.

The exercises she does with the birds include following commands given by hand signals. As a reward, she rewards them with treats, such as a dead rat.

The three birds came to the zoo for different reasons and stayed because the zoo determined that they could not survive on their own. Amarillo arrived with a pair of amputated wings and could no longer fly. Gabel was hit by a car and his wing had to be amputated. Lurch was raised in a zoo and became too attached to his curators and would not have survived without them.

Also under her care are three North American river otters. The three otters Ben, Mia and Sam immediately ran to the glass edge of their habitat in search of food when Dredla approached, although they were unable to get it.

She trains each otters like she trains birds. Using food and snacks as a reward, she asked them to try touching their nose to a blue ball attached to a stick that she held at various heights and positions. This teaches the otters to follow commands.

Sam has also become an ambassador just like the birds. He was born in the zoo and therefore does not have any experience in the wild.

She explained that her role in the new hideout is unknown at the moment, but is excited about the new opportunities it presents.



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