Rachel Smith

Rachel Smith serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a Senior Research Associate in Recovery Ecology. She is part of the monitoring and research team that works with the California least tern and western snowy plover at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.

Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in Wildlife from Humboldt State University with an emphasis in Wildlife Management and Conservation Biology/Applied Vertebrate Ecology. In addition to California least terns and western snowy plovers, her professional experience includes working with other threatened and endangered species, including the marbled murrelet, San Clemente loggerhead shrike, and snail kite. She has research interests in behavioral ecology and migration. She loves birding, being outdoors and has a special interest in educating others, especially children, about the environment and conservation.