Findlay, Ohio – Rebecca Wilson, a senior honors scholar in the field of wildlife biology at UF, will give a presentation on her experiences working with giant pandas in China on Monday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lape Great Hall of the Garnder Fine Arts Pavilion. A photography exhibit of her experiences in China also will be on display.

Wilson spent last summer in Chengdu, China, as an animal behaviorist intern at a breeding center for the endangered giant panda. The internship was sponsored by the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Her responsibilities at the facility included collecting data on seven male giant pandas, working with the center’s endocrine department and serving as a translator for English-speaking tourists. “Giant pandas are truly amazing animals and there is so much we do not know about them. It is my hope that by gaining a better understanding of how they learn and function, we can save them before time runs out,” Wilson explained.

She used the research from her internship as her senior honor thesis project. As an honors scholar at UF, students are required to complete and present a thesis research project.    

Wilson, who is scheduled to graduate in the spring, plans to pursue a master’s degree in conservation and wild animal biology at the Royal Veterinary College of London in the United Kingdom. Eventually, she hopes to work with the Chinese Zoological Association to do more research on giant pandas.

For more information about this free, public event, contact Rebecca Shell, public relations officer, at 419-434-4345.