Meet Animal Care Intern Sienna Aguiar
“In my career I’d like to work with marine animals and advance their conservation, and part of that is making sure the public gets to learn about them,” says Sienna Aguiar, 2022 Animal Care Intern for Florida Oceanographic Society. “This internship is exactly what I want to be doing. It’s been a very practical and inspiring experience.” Sienna has already spent 200 hours at the Coastal Center since April, working three days a week. Her internship will last about 16 weeks.
Sienna is a junior majoring in marine biology at Florida Atlantic University’s Honors College in Jupiter, Florida. Her interest in marine biology was sparked at the age of nine when she was seining at a marine biology summer camp.
“I was fascinated by all of the small organisms brought up in the net,” explains Sienna. “Since then I’ve taken college-level marine bio classes in high school and participated in a shark tagging research project in Miami. When I applied for this incredible learning opportunity at the Coastal Center, I felt I could bring some of the skills I’ve learned previously to this work.”
A Florida native, Sienna grew up in Miami in a close family that loves spending time in and around the water. She enjoys snorkeling and swimming, and is getting her dive certification. She also loves reading all kinds of genres, fiction and nonfiction.
Sienna is working closely with Florida Oceanographic’s Animal Care team. Her role includes helping trim the barbs of the sting rays, target-training the nurse sharks and turtles, all while helping the staff do visual health checkups. If she had to pick a favorite animal personality at the Center, it would be green sea turtle “Turt”.
“I love taking care of these animals, and I’ve learned how delicate and fragile they can be,” says Sienna. “The temperature, the pH, every condition has to be right or it can have serious consequences for their wellbeing. It really demonstrates how even small changes in their environment can affect them.”
In August Sienna is headed to the Galapagos Islands for a semester abroad. “The hands-on experience I’ve gained here is going to be valuable in my next classes and in my career,” says Sienna. “Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming – I truly appreciate them.”
Sienna Aguiar Snapshot
Born in: Miami, FL
Best book: The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One by Sylvia Earle
Screen time: Streaming Friends and Criminal Minds on Netflix
Senior thesis interest: The impact of sound pollution on marine animals around the Port of Miami
