Reed Newman, M.A.

Reed Newman serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a Research Assistant in Recovery Ecology. As a part of the Desert Tortoise Conservation project, his work involves the reintroduction of tortoise hatchlings to their natural environment, post release monitoring, and habitat surveys. The majority of this work is conducted in the Mojave Desert region of southern California.

Reed earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has also completed a master’s degree in Zoology through Miami University and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Over the years he has gained experience in the care and conservation of many species of herpetofauna including green and loggerhead sea turtles, mountain yellow-legged frogs, side-blotched lizards, western pond turtles, emerald tree boas, Chinese big-headed turtles, Grand Cayman iguanas, various species of poison dart frogs, and even Galapagos tortoises.

Reed has fostered a love for reptiles, especially turtles and tortoises, since he was a child. And he is thrilled to help the San Diego Zoo study and protect these animals.