An interview with Dan Lorbeski
How long have you worked at the Shedd Aquarium?
I have been at Shedd for three years.
What do you do all day at work?
I have a plethora of duties here at the aquarium. Most of my time is spent on husbandry duties for the animals, including a large variety of Amazon River fish, turtles, a Green Anaconda, Camine Lizards, Dwarf Camine, an Emerald Green Tree Boa, Giant Cockroaches, Giant Centipedes, Goliath Bird Eater Tarantulas, Pink Toe Tarantulas, Giant Tailless Whip Scorpions, Poison Arrow Frogs, a Pygmy Marmoset (little monkey), a variety of birds, Suriname Toads, Caecilian Worms, Apple Snails, and a colony of Bullet Ants. As if that wasn't enough, I also work on exhibit maintenance, keeping everything looking good, taking care of the plants. I also help the guests of the aquarium when I can, and work to keep the rest of the staff here informed on activities that are going on in my area of the building.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
What is your favorite rainforest animal? Why?
The diversity of animals and plants that you can find in the rainforest is probably my favorite thing about it. I love seeing how animals and plants have adapted to living in a highly competitive environment and seeing the solutions that nature has come up with so that they can get food, defend themselves, and reproduce in an environment where places to live come at a premium.
Why do you like working at the Shedd?
I love being able to work directly with the animals, and the freedom I get from my supervisors to kind of run with ideas or projects. The philosophy that we've kind of been running with here, to try and create as natural an environment as possible, is awesome, especially when you see animals reproducing on exhibit, because, as a husbandry person, it lets us know that the animals are not only surviving, but they are thriving in the homes we have given them. I also love working with a group of people that love what they do. It sets up a very positive environment and makes work fun.
What inspired you to become involved in the rainforest?
Well, I've always loved small freshwater fish, particularly Corydoras catfish and sucker mouth catfish, and if I want to work with these animals, the Amazon river is the place to look.
What did you want to be when you were little?
Oh, I wanted to be lots of things when I was little, a pilot, a construction worker, and a race driver were probably at the top of my list when I was a wee one. It wasn't until I was in high school that I really developed a passion for my fish.
What is the coolest fact you know about the rainforest?
I really couldn't pick just one thing about the Amazon rainforest to rank as the coolest. For me, it's the whole ecosystem that is fascinating--the interactions between animals and plants, the adaptations to the climate and seasons. Sure there are animals that I love, none more so than the Zebra Plecostomus, but I can't really pick out one thing.
What do you do in your free time?
I enjoy watching open wheel motor racing (Formula One and Indy Cars), watching most any Bruce Campbell film or Eddie Izzard and The Simpson's, a lot of time driving as I have family and friends in Milwaukee, but the drive gives me ample time to enjoy music from U2, The Cure, Stereophonics, Travis, and others, I have a 46 gallon Amazon aquarium at my apartment along with two cats, and I probably spend too much time playing video games.
What is the best thing about your job?
For me, the best things are when I can make a home for an animal from South America, put the animal in it, and see the animal thrive under my care... and feeding the Anaconda is really cool!
What classes in college did you take to prepare yourself for your job?
I took a lot of biology, math, and chemistry classes, but I want to say the classes that have had the most practical value for the job have been general chemistry, limnology, ethology, ichthyology, and writing classes, creative writing being a favorite. I would also highly recommend a philosophy course or two.
Dan Lorbeske