Jeannette Beranger, The Livestock Conservancy Senior Programs Manager

By Jeannette Beranger and The Livestock Conservancy
Updated on December 31, 2016
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Name: Jeannette Beranger

Occupation: Animal expert, field researcher, rare breed conservator, photographer, chicken nut

Place of Residence: central North Carolina

Background: Jeannette’s animal experience began in her teen years as a volunteer at the New England Aquarium in Boston, where she helped care for the residents of the tanks and lectured visitors about aquatic animals and on various sea creatures while aboard the aquarium’s whale-watch boat. She started a track toward becoming a veterinarian, and while in college, worked as a veterinary technician to help pay for school.

Jeanette’s life took a slightly different turn when she was recruited out of school to become a professional zookeeper for the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. During her nearly 20 years there, she became a head zookeeper in charge of the Madagascar, Australasia, and the Heritage Farmyard where she gained much of her practical experience with a wide array of rare breeds. She had numerous opportunities for field experience outside of the zoo, including several months in Madagascar helping with lemur conservation programs at the National Zoo in Antananarivo.

Jeanette became head of international outreach programs for the American Association of Zookeepers and helped to create the first International Congress on Zookeeping in 2003 in Amsterdam. By 2005, she found herself talking more about her Dexter cattle and Shetland sheep than her tree kangaroos and lemurs at the zoo and knew that perhaps it was time to retire from zookeeping.

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