Celebrate Women’s History Month with us! This year, we’re looking forward by honoring women across the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and female conservationists who are making history in our agency and in conservation. With each #ScienceWoman, we’ll share a photo and a couple questions and answers about her work. Stay tuned for posts throughout the month!
Amber measures a leatherback sea turtle hatchling in Costa Rica in 2014. Photo courtesy of Amber.
Meet Amber Rhodes, a biological science technician in our New Jersey Field Office in Pleasantville. She studied at Old Dominion University in Virginia and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, and she is an engineer for the Army National Guard.
Amber operating a MarshMaster to restore habitat on private lands as part of our Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Photo courtesy of Amber.
Amber conducted her thesis on sea turtles in Costa Rica, assessing how beach dynamics affect nest site selection and hatching success of green sea turtles.
Q. What’s your favorite thing about working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? A. I love the fact that I get to work with landowners to restore fish and wildlife habitat, through the Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Most wildlife is found on private lands and by engaging private landowners we can work together to protect fish and wildlife and restore native habitat.
Amber collecting data on a female black sea turtle nesting for her thesis. Photo courtesy of Amber.
Q. What’s your favorite species and why? A. Sea turtles! They’re amazing, females will travel thousands of miles just to return to the beach where they were born. It is an incredible experience to watch them come up on the beach, meticulously creating a nest in which to place her eggs. Once they hatch about 6-8 weeks later, only 1 in a 1000 will reach adulthood.
Q. If you could have one incredible animal adaptation, what would it be? A. To breathe under water.
Amber while she was working with the National Park Service at Assateague. Photo courtesy of Amber.
See more #ScienceWoman profiles!
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region 
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