By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart
As the fifth oldest zoological institution in the United States, the Ross Park Zoo has been a beacon of joy for generations of Southern Tier families. For the Dailey family of Johnson City, NY, photographs of loved ones taking the iconic train through the zoo for an outing with the animals date back to 1944. Little did they know then that nearly eight decades after those photos were taken, their descendant, Rebecca Dailey, would make caring for the animals that reside and thrive in the community’s zoo her life’s work.
Dailey was born and raised in Johnson City. A lover of animals from birth, Rebecca made regular trips to the Ross Park Zoo to visit her favorite wildlife and their habitats. To encourage their daughter’s passion for animal conservation and education, no Dailey family vacation was complete without a trip to the nearest zoo. Rebecca was enamored with the zookeepers and confidently resolved that one day, she would work alongside them.
After graduating from Johnson City High School, Dailey’s next step was to begin her science-based college education at SUNY Broome.
“My plan was always to start at SUNY Broome,” Dailey shared. “I’ve always been very attached to the region and to my family, so naturally, it made perfect sense to earn my first degree from my local community college.”
Dailey enrolled in SUNY Broome’s Liberal Arts and Sciences: Science: A.S. program and immediately sought the guidance of prolific biology Professor Emeritus Dr. Rick Firenze. After helping Rebecca to weigh the pros and cons of zoology v. veterinary medicine, Dr. Firenze encouraged Dailey to follow her passion for hands-on fieldwork. To gain field experience, Dailey joined Dr. Firenze and over a dozen fellow students in his wildly popular adventure classes, including BIO 217: Ecology of the National Parks and BIO 200 – Ecology: The Everglades. Through these beyond-the-classroom courses, Rebecca was able to immerse herself in the ecology and wildlife of the nation’s most beautiful national parks, all while earning eight college credits.
Armed with an associate degree full of biology and chemistry prerequisites and a wealth of experience in the field, Rebecca transferred to SUNY Oswego to pursue a degree in zoology. But, in the midst of studying animal physiology and mammalogy, Rebecca took a quick detour to “discover the magic” in the highly competitive Disney College Program. Fittingly, Dailey’s internship placement was in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.
“My Disney internship experience was one I just couldn’t pass up,” Dailey shared. “Plus, there’s nothing cooler than passing alligators on my way to work every day.”
The zoology world places its most critical emphasis on work experience. So, at the encouragement of her professors at SUNY Oswego, Rebecca applied for an animal care internship at the zoo closest to her heart.
What started as a winter session internship, designing enclosures and monitoring the health and wellness of the animals, evolved into a full-time position. Seven years later, Dailey is Ross Park Zoo’s lead zookeeper. A typical workday includes managing her “small but mighty” team of keepers and overseeing the zoo’s 100+ different species, which range from amur and snow leopards to red pandas and African penguins.
Zoology, by nature, is a profoundly collaborative discipline. Through the many associations, wildlife parks share resources and expertise on subjects like sustainability practices, reintroduction conservation, and trafficking awareness. Dailey represents the Ross Park Zoo in many of these forums and is particularly active in the Small Cat Alliance (SCA) division.
“I’m definitely a ‘zoo nerd,’ and love to connect with colleagues at other institutions about our work,” Dailey explained. “At the zoo, we work with species survival plans to manage breeding and conservation efforts. I also manage the SCA’s social media account and educational materials. It’s amazing that thanks to these connections, practices that we employ at the Ross Park Zoo can positively impact animals worldwide.”
Dailey can’t help but beam when she speaks about her work, especially regarding her role as a community educator. As lead keeper, she is entrusted not only to manage the care of the animals but also to share her knowledge with the public clearly and safely. Nothing brings Rebecca greater joy than when a guest asks about an animal’s favorite food or what role they can play in protecting native species and the environment. For Dailey, it is an honor to emulate the educational spirit of the keepers who first encouraged her love of zoology when she was a young girl.
“When I tell people that I am the lead zookeeper for the Ross Park Zoo, I almost always get the same response of ‘Oh! I haven’t been to the zoo in so long,” Dailey shared. “Please don’t forget about us. The Ross Park Zoo is truly a treasure in this community, and we are still doing incredible work grounded in “animals’ choice” care. Who knows? A visit to the Ross Park Zoo may spark an interest in your future career. It certainly did for me!”
Do you learn best in the great outdoors, want to explore some unique locations, and earn college credit? Check out SUNY Broome’s various adventure courses that take students to the Everglades, national parks, and more: sunybroome.edu/travel
Read more inspiring alumni stories in the newest digital edition of BROOME Magazine!