This piece comes to us from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). To honor Hispanic Heritage Month, WCS and Nature are sharing stories of nature and conservation.
A well-known idiom among Dominicans is ” Dominicano hasta la tambora.” It translates to “Dominican until the drum,” tambora being one of the key instruments in merengue, the national music of the Dominican Republic. The idiom expresses Dominican identity, pride, and culture.
As a first-generation American, I spent many summers as a child visiting family in the Dominican Republic. My family is from the countryside and that’s where my love for animals began. Proudly a Bronx native, my two main escapes from the city life were summers in the Dominican Republic or trips to the Bronx Zoo.
My fascination with reptiles began at an early age. When running errands with my father on the weekends, I would convince him to stop at local pet stores so I could admire possible future pets or decide which reptile magazines to add to my wish list.
Kelvin with adult hellbender at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. Photo credit: Julie Larsen ©️WCS.
In 2012, I was undecided about what career path I wanted to take. I was attending college for information technology and working part time as a line cook. I began volunteering for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo’s Herpetology Department in the spring and quickly realized the career path I wanted to take.
My passion grew into a career there. The Bronx Zoo felt like a true embodiment of a NYC community, with people from all walks of life coming together for the greater good. For me personally, that “greater good” is and has always been the conservation of wildlife and the natural places they inhabit.
This year on Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to express the value of our cultures and how our heritage influences the work we do for conservation. My Hispanic heritage and being bilingual have proven to be tools that allow me to network and make impactful relationships in my work.
Kelvin with Ecuador crocodilian. Photo credit: ©️Juan Andrés Hadatty.
Learning and understanding someone’s culture can lead to more impactful conservation outcomes. Though I love all reptiles, crocodilians hold a special place in my heart. This passion drives what I do in my field work in Cuba and Ecuador.
In Cuba, I am part of a multi-institution team that is conducting research and supporting the work of Cuban scientists to conserve the Critically Endangered Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer). The human aspect of our work is as important as that of the wildlife. My ability to speak the same language and share similar traditions as our partners has been essential in developing this partnership.
Researching Ecuador crocodilians. Photo credit: ©️Juan Andrés Hadatty.
Similarly, in Ecuador, I am part of a One Health team working to conserve species living in the tropical dry forests in the south of the country. Our goal is to improve the health of the people, animals, and the environment that have been heavily impacted by the contamination caused by gold mining in the region. I have led crocodile captures for health sample collection and conducted drone surveys in the region.
At the Bronx Zoo, I am proud of the conservation work we are doing in our very own backyard. The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is America’s largest salamander species. The Bronx Zoo and our conservation partners collaborate in a “head start” program for hellbenders. To increase their survival in the wild, we take a portion of hellbender eggs and rear them at the zoo for 3-5 years before releasing them back into their native streams in Northwestern New York.
Collecting wild hellbender eggs to rear at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. Photo credit: ©️WCS.
It is very gratifying when salamanders we raised and released from the Bronx Zoo are now sexually mature and guarding nested sites during breeding season.
Conservation and education is what drives me to improve the lives of the animals I care for at the Bronx Zoo. I hope I can be a positive example of how culture and conservation come together and how we can use our unique backgrounds and differences as strengths in our work.
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