Kimberly Vinette Herrin

How long have you been working as a vet?

I have been a zoo vet since 1998.  I began my zoo career at Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas which is nicely nestled on the border of Mexico. During my 7 years there, I gradually worked my way up to head veterinarian. With a goal of working internationally, my zoo vet experience was enhanced by locums at Ocean Park, (Hong Kong) and Zoo Atlanta (Georgia) prior to joining Taronga Zoo in 2006.

How did you get into vet work as a profession?

My focus during veterinary school was completely on becoming a zoo and wildlife veterinarian. After graduating, I logically gained experience in emergency medicine while volunteering at zoos and primate centres. Shortly thereafter, I accomplished my goal of being gainfully employed as a zoo veterinarian at Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas.

What do you love most about your job?

The best factor about being a zoo vet is the daily diversity in cases. I am fortunate to work with a wide range of animals...from fish to elephants! And Taronga Zoo has the added bonus of having a gorgeous setting overlooking the harbour!

What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?

You can easily imagine that being a zoo vet is never boring! There are literally many wild moments working with captive and free-ranging wildlife!

One case I can recall from my time in Texas was a crane that suddenly discovered it could fly. After years of being flightless, this bird decided to take a holiday and head for Mexico! Recovering him was quite an adventure! He could fly very gracefully and eventually landed on a reed bank along the Rio Grande. Thankfully, we were able to scramble down the bank and recover the crane before it crossed the international border!