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about deb

SPEAKING, TEACHING, PRINT, COLLABORATIONS

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WORKSHOPS &  PRESENTATIONS

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Sloth School, Jacksonville Zoo, Virtual 

The Upside of Hanging Down; The Influence of Anatomy on Sloth Husbandry 

Safe Handling of Two-toed Sloths

  • October 2023 International Sloth Symposium, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA USA

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The Upside of Hanging Down; The Influence of Anatomy on Sloth Husbandry 

  • October 2022 Sloth Symposium, Edinburgh, Scotland

 

An In-depth Look at the Unique Morphology and Husbandry

of Two-Toed Sloths. (2 Hour Workshop)

  • September 2022 Dallas Zoo/Cameron Park Zoo, Dallas, TX

  • May 2021 Plumpton Park, Rising Sun, MD

  • December 2020 Debbie Dolittles, Tacoma, WA 

  • August 2020 Roosevelt Park Zoo, Minot ND

  • June 2020 Highpoint Haven, Pilot Point, TX

  • January 2020 National Zoo, Washington, D.C. 

  • August 2019 National Zoo, Washington, D.C.

  • October 2018 Moody Gardens Galveston, Tx

  • August 2017 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference, Washington, D.C.

 

Avian Transport

  • March 2018 AZA Mid-year Jacksonville, Fl

 

Using Recall to Increase Opportunities for Reproduction in Free-Flight Aviaries

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  • April 2019 AZA Mid-year Phoenix, AZ 

 

Developing Behavior-based Management Strategies to Improve Husbandry

  • March 2019 Pittsburgh Zoo Pittsburgh, PA 

 

Women in Leadership Panel 

  • August 2021 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference, Los Angeles, California

  • August 2019 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana 

  • August 2017 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference, Washington, D.C. 

 

The Benefits of Recall Training in a Free-Flight Aviary. 

(2 Hour Workshop) 

  • September 2014 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference, Orlando, FL2

  • June 2014 National Zoo, Washington, D.C. 

  • June 2014 Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA

  • June 2015 North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, NC

  • November 2015 Columbus Zoo, Columbus, OH

 

Using Video Technology to Manage Avian Collections. 1 Hour Workshop 

  • November 2015 Columbus Zoo, Columbus, OH

 

Zoo Aviculture: It’s for the Birds. (6 Hour Workshop) 

  • June 2016 National Zoo Washington, D.C.​

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COLLABORATIONS & POSTERS

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Bay-headed tanager (Tangara gyrola) management 

  • February 2014 Regional Conference, Smithsonian National Zoo Regional, Washington DC

Molt Sequence of the Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica). 

  • February 2014 Regional Conference, Smithsonian National Zoo Regional, Washington DC

Safeguarding Avian Young: Protecting Nests, Eggs, and Young Birds in a Mixed-Species Exhibit. 

  • September 2013 American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro NC 

  • February 2014 Regional Conference Smithsonian National Zoo Regional Washington D.C.

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DIAL D & JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICAL ARTS 

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  • 2023 Choloepus Care: A Veterinary Pocket Guide for Sloths

  • 2023 Husbandry Considerations for Choloepus Senses: Sloth Vision and Hearing

  • 2021 Fat Deposition in Choloepus didactylus  

  • 2020 The Dentition of Linne's Two-toed Sloth 

  • 2019 Illustrated Key: Tangara chilensis subspecies  

  • 2018 Digestive Anatomy of Choloepus didactylus 

  • 2017 Puffin Feather Development: from Natal Down to Juvenile Plumage  

  • 2016 Upland Tropical Rain Forest Nests and Eggs

  • 2015 The First Year of Development in Linne’s Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus) 

  • 2013 Molt Sequence of the Atlantic Puffin 

  • 2012 Bay-headed Tanager Reproduction 

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ARTICLES & PRINT

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  • Dial, D., 2022. Puffins in Peril Conserving the Clowns of the Sea. Journal of the American Federation of Aviculture, XLIX (January 2022), pp.12 - 18.

  • Dial, D. 2020. Paresseux à deux doigts (Choloepus didactylus) : Dix ans d’élevage et de gestion à l’Aquarium National. Le Tarsier, pp.8 - 20.

  • Dial, D. Two-toed Sloths (Choloepus didactylus): Ten Years of Management at the National Aquarium. 2019 4 Forum 46 (5)

  • Dial, D. Supporting avian reproduction in a mixed species exhibit. 2013 Animal Keepers Forum 40 (8): 3433473 

  • Dial, D. European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Best Practices Guidelines. Atlantic Puffin

(Fratercula arctica). B. Vernooij [ed.], Edition 1, (staff contributions by D. Dial; p. 4), 2015, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

  • Dial, D. Down by the Delaware Bay, The Shorebird, Vol 4, January 2017

1Contractual speaker funded by the National Zoo

2Recipient of the Avian Advisory Group Grant 2014 

3Susan D. Chan Author of the Year recipient 2013

4Susan D. Chan Author of the Year recipient 2019

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Current

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COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS  

  • Choloepus didactylus Vice Coordinator, AZA 

  • Choloepus didactylus Studbook Keeper, AZA

  • Avian Scientific Advisory Group Vice Chair, AZA

  • Pangolin, Aardvark, Xenarthra Advisory (PAX) Group, AZA

  • University of Washington Certificate of Applied Animal Behavior, Advisory Board 

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ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

  • International Avian Trainers Certification Board, CPBT-KA 2018

  • University of Washington Applied Animal Behavior, UW-AAB 2017

  • 24-hour HAZWOPER, Certified Wildlife Response, 2018

  • Oiled Wildlife Certified, 2017

  • FEMA ICS-100

  • FEMA ICS-200 

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PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION 

  • Susan D. Chan Author of the Year, 2019 

  • National Aquarium Innovation Award, 2016 

  • Avian Scientific Advisory Group Grant Awarded, 2014

  • Susan D. Chan Author of the Year, 2013

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FIELDWORK

  • Delaware Shorebird Project 

         Slaughter Beach, DE 

         Field seasons 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

 

​​PASSION PROJECTS

  • Educated Zookeeper, LLC

  • Science of Sloths 

  • Sloth School

  • Sloth Expert Exchange

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