Dr Tamara Kruse serves as the assistant director of veterinary care at the San Antonio Zoo, Texas. She is passionate about providing the very best care to animals, as well as research, conservation and advancing zoological medicine. In her current position, she cares for the zoo’s collection of animals and helps zoo keepers maintain the health and welfare of all of the resident animals. Kruse attends to sick animals and examines healthy animals each day.
Kruse graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences. Until her senior year, she did not consider becoming a veterinarian. She took a year off and worked as a rescue and rehabilitation intern for the Alaska SeaLife Center before working as a veterinary technician assistant. She then attended the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and decided to pursue a career as a veterinarian at a zoological facility. Additionally, Kruse has a master’s degree from Ohio State University.
She volunteered at the Brevard Zoo in Florida before a veterinary internship with the Indianapolis Zoo and residencies with Ohio State University, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and The Wilds. Prior to her current position at the San Antonio Zoo, Kruse was a relief veterinarian at ZooTampa in Florida.
Currently, Tamara Kruse is the vet advisor for the Jaguar Species Survival Plan, a co-chair of the Veterinary Scientific Advisory Group, and a professional fellow at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). She has published various papers in journals and is working on multiple research projects. Kruse is involved with the veterinary management of transactions of avian species between zoos across the US. She also teaches veterinary students about the zoo medicine field.