Melanie Gardner

Biography:

Melanie joined the Mammals and Reptiles department in October 2022. Prior to Mote, she has been involved with the zoological industry for over 14 years. She started as a volunteer with the Indianapolis Zoo, positioned in all different roles from public education to animal care. Some of the animals she volunteered with were marine mammals, large herbivores, hoof stock, large carnivores, aquatic birds, fish, and invertebrates. Melanie has completed 3 internships with marine animals. She also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2016. Melanie then started her career with Discovery Cove and SeaWorld for 6 years, working with bottlenose dolphins in guest interaction programs.