'I by no means thought I'd find yourself at a zoo however I adore it!' Dr Nicholas Pilfold informed MailOnline Journey throughout a current go to to San Diego Zoo.
The Vancouver native, 34, is within the operating for having actually one of many coolest jobs on the planet, together with his work targeted on defending polar bears from human menace and local weather change.
This yr, his work has taken him to the deep Arctic and most lately to Churchill, in Canada, the place the San Diego Zoo International staff labored at utilizing a specially-designed drone to trace bears' motion.
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Fieldwork: Dr Nicholas Pilfold relies at San Diego Zoo International together with his work targeted on the conservation of polar bears - pictured, with a sedated bear within the Arctic
Whereas many scientists are cautious about unmanned aerial automobiles (UAVs) invading animals' pure habitat, Dr Pilfold says they are going to maintain a protected distance to observe the bears' habits.
Take a look at flights carried out in November went effectively and the staff have been ready to make use of the drones to unobtrusively examine distant areas inaccessible by foot.
So, how does one come to be a polar bear skilled?
Dr Pilfold mentioned he was fascinated by bears and 'distant far-off locations' as a baby, so he seemed for a line of labor that will marry the 2.
He mentioned after his first analysis journey to the Arctic he was hooked and he knew instantly that 'this was the life for me'.
Dream job: Dr Pilfold mentioned he was fascinated by bears and 'distant far-off locations' as a baby, so he seemed for a line of labor that will marry the 2
Up within the air: Dr Pilfold appears to be like down on a polar bear from a helicopter - his work takes him to among the most distant spots on the planet
Dr Pilfold accomplished a bachelor's diploma in Life Sciences on the College of British Columbia in Vancouver earlier than finishing a post-doctoral fellowship in organic sciences.
His work targeted on the conservation of polar bears and he additionally studied the predator-prey relationships between polar bears and seals in the Beaufort Sea of Canada's western Arctic.
In January of this yr, Dr Pilfold landed the position of Postdoctoral Affiliate with San Diego Zoo International.
Together with polar bears, the avid adventurer additionally research Andean bears in Peru and large pandas in China.
Secure place: San Diego Zoo International - which celebrated its 100th anniversary this yr - is at the moment dwelling to a few polar bears, which have been rescued from the wild after being orphaned
Water child: The zoo's polar bear enclosure features a plunge pool with glass home windows which permit guests to observe the enormous bears in motion
This implies his work takes him to the bears' homeplace and subsequent February a visit to Sichuan in China - the house of large pandas - is within the pipeline.
'It is a actually diversified position and that is what I get pleasure from,' Dr Pilfold mentioned of his job.
San Diego Zoo - which celebrated its 100th anniversary this yr - is at the moment dwelling to a few polar bears, which have been rescued from the wild after being orphaned.
Kalluk and Tatqiq, a brother and sister pair, have been just a few months previous once they arrived on the complicated in March of 2001 from Alaska.
Their mom had been carrying a radio collar for analysis functions. When a sensor went off on her radio collar, the researchers went to examine on her and her cubs. They discovered that she had been shot and killed, and her cubs have been rescued.
Since they have been so younger, they'd not have survived with out their mom and have been quickly transferred to the zoo, the place they've lived ever since.
Chinook, a feminine bear, additionally landed at San Diego Zoo in Could 1996 as an orphan, however researchers do not know what occurred to her mom.
Since 2008, within the U.S., polar bears have been on the threatened species checklist
Dwindling numbers: It is estimated that the polar bear inhabitants stands at round 22,000 to 31,000 worldwide
Visiting San Diego Zoo, it seems the polar bear facility is without doubt one of the hottest sights.
The enclosure features a plunge pool with glass home windows which permit guests to observe the enormous bears in motion.
After MailOnline Journey's interview Dr Nicholas Pilfold has to move again to work.
'I've bought to plan the package checklist for our Arctic expedition - it is going to be -20 levels Celsius, so we'll want heat gear!' he explains.
His job is actually on the Sub Zero aspect of coolness!
Since 2008, within the U.S., polar bears have been on the threatened species checklist and it is estimated that the inhabitants stands at round 22,000 to 31,000 worldwide.
However hopefully, with Dr Pilfold and San Diego Zoo International's work together with different collaborators, numbers will step by step enhance.
Their primary goal? 'To finish extinction,' Dr Pilfold concludes.
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