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A lifelong fascination with animal behavior has led Pam to participate in a variety of field and clinical studies with several science organizations since the mid 1980's.
Some projects have documented the rehabilitation strategies of injured or orphaned animals, to develop more effective ways of treating them. Other projects explored aspects of animal communication, cognition, and behavior in the wild, to better address the needs of each species.
Below is a list of animals with which Pam has worked, either in research projects or educational programs. If you are interested in a specific program on the biology, behavior or current research findings about one of these species, a program can be designed to meet your needs.
Contact Pam at (510) 530-7826 or e-mail pamswan@pamswan.com
Pam with juvenile Dall's porpoise at Marine World
photo courtesy San Francisco Chronicle
Research Projects 1985 - 2001
Cetacean Research
bottlenosed dolphin (tursiops truncatus)
gray whale (eschrictius robustus)
orca (orcinus orcus)
Dall's porpoise (phocoenidae dalli)
Raptor Research
golden eagle (aquila chrysaetos)
barn owl (tyto alba)
peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus)
screech owl (otus kennicottii)
Reptile Research
western pacific rattlesnake (crotalus viridis)
Rodent Research
American beaver (castor canadensis)
Organizations with whom Pam has worked 1978 - present
Great Smoky Mountains Baby Animal Zoo 1978
Internship; assistant to head keeper, providing daily care, socialization and exercise for a variety of juvenile exotics, including African lion, serval and orangutan.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources 1978-79
Assistant to editor of Outdoors in Georgia magazine, the state agency publication of the Dept. of Natural Resources, featuring articles on wildlife ecology and state parks of Georgia.
Stonebridge Services 1980-93
Head trainer for service dog organization. Prepared dog and handler teams for tracking, drug detection, protection and general obedience for Bay Area police departments. Developed program for partnering police dogs with community groups. Set up training protocols and taught handlers how to train advanced service behaviors for companion dogs for the disabled. Worked with dogs preparing for Search & Rescue certification and AKC titles. Trained professional trainers.
Marine World Africa, USA 1985-91
Research associate with Project Circe, a communications and cognition study of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. Assisted in animal care and media contact during the rehabilitation of various cetacean species including beaked whales, pygmy sperm whale and dall's porpoise.
The Armchair Naturalist 1991- 93
Naturalist. Taught classes in biology, behavior and identification of animals in the San Francisco Bay Area, leading hikes, overnight nature programs, snow camping and whale watching trips in California and Alaska. Assisted in gathering field research data on bald eagles, orcas, humpback and gray whales in Alaska. Handled live animals for public programs, including great horned owls, hawks, vultures, falcons and a variety of small mammals and snakes.
Lindsay Wildlife Museum 1991-99
Education Manager. Taught and administrated classes in biology, behavior and educational animal handling of species including bobcats, foxes, eagles, hawks, owls, reptiles and rodents used in museum's educational programming and exhibits.
Lead field trips and managed adult education programming. Founded the wildlife research program and animal behavior team.
Managed volunteer program for exhibit educators and supervised professional museum teaching staff. Conducted visitor research and managed special events such as wildlife festivals with visiting animals such as mountain lion, black bear and Andean condor.
Published articles for museum periodicals, spoke at symposia and conferences on the results of field studies examining behavioral patterns of owls, eagles, rattlesnakes and beaver in the San Francisco bay area. Published and spoke on exhibit design and museum education. Hosted several week-long interdisciplinary Elderhostel programs.
Cygnus Research & Education 1999-2001
Executive Director, managed field research projects, agency publications, staff and volunteer operations. Developed ongoing programs which have been distributed to other non-profit organizations for public wildlife education.
California Academy of Sciences 2001 - 2005
Public Programs. Developing and presenting programming for changing science exhibits including "Venoms! Striking Beauties," "Science Under Sail: Russia's Great Voyages," and "Skulls." Presentation of live animals in Naturalist Center and ongoing guest lectures in new Howard St. location.
Publications:
Outdoors in Georgia
The Cygnus Report
The Peregrine Watch
Museum Scene
Wild Times
California Wild
Journal of IWRC (International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council)
Guest Lectures:
National Association for Interpretation
Cultural Connections
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
Elderhostel
Rotary International
California Academy of Sciences
Museums and
Schools
Live animal programs
Wildlife Research
Projects and animals
Wildlife
Photography
Live animals up close