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ROYAL OAK, Mich., October 31, 2007 – Snakes and lizards crawling around one’s workspace might send shivers down the average person’s spine, but for the Detroit Zoological Society’s new Curator of Reptiles, Jeffrey Jundt, it’s just another day at the office. In his new position, Jundt oversees operations at the Detroit Zoo’s Holden Museum of Living Reptiles, including animal care, conservation programs, and guest and staff education programs.
Jundt joins the Zoo from the Shark Reef Aquarium at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, where he worked for seven years as a lead aquarist. There he was responsible for the herpetological collection of monitor lizards, snakes and – his favorite reptiles – the large crocodilians. Before that, he worked for the United States Geological Survey in Jamestown, N.D., as the coordinator for the North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations (NARCAM).
“Jeff brings a wide array of experience and passion for reptiles to the Zoo. He is exactly what we were looking for in terms of a leader who cares deeply for reptile conservation and management,” said Scott Carter, Director of Conservation and Animal Welfare.
Jundt earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology from North Dakota State University in Fargo. During his college years, he gained experience working with the university’s reptile and amphibian collection. He also worked as a zookeeper for two summers at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Jundt grew up on a farm and ranch in northeastern South Dakota where he continues to help with fieldwork each spring. He is also an experienced mechanic, photographer, scuba diver and drag racer. He currently resides in Royal Oak, Mich.
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October. Admission is $11.00 for adults 13 to 61, $9.00 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7.00 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
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