CLINT MURPHY
I am honored to be working together with Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, I have been preparing for this very adventure from when and where I was born. I grew up in Miami with chickens, ducks, and spent many weekends in the Everglades experiencing things that were to be written about in my environmental classes later in college. I moved away from Miami to Leesburg, Georgia, when I was twelve. I graduated high school there, and 3 days later I was in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I enlisted into the Army as a Cannon Crewman. During my 8 years in the service, I did some really cool things. I lived around the eastern united states, jumped out of air planes and helicopters, and spent many months out of the year in the deserts of California and Texas. I lived in Germany for 3 years, and was deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During that time, I was always drawn back to my roots of exploring and observing wildlife no matter where I went. Did you know that hamsters are actually wild and live in the Persian Gulf region? Imagine our surprise when the rustling in our packages from home turned out to be one of those cute little rascals… eating the cookies that mom sent.
The swamps of the south or deserts of two continents held so many wonders from ants and scorpions to alligators and panthers. One of my fondest memories was in the Black Forest of Germany. In the dim light of the giant conifer trees and waist-high ferns came the thunder of hundreds of red deer that ran right by me. It was magic. Naturally, as I prepared to exit the military, I looked at all of the fields that I would love to apply myself to. I ran into a wildlife biologist, and after talking to him for a short time, I decided that this is what I wanted to be. I returned back to south Georgia and went to school at Darton College and Albany State University and earned my B.S. in Biology. The week of graduation I had an interview with Merck Chemical Company. After the interview, I happened to stop in the place that I had visited numerous times is a teenager. The Parks at Chehaw in Albany Georgia. I remembered that they have a zoo and thought, “They must do something with Biology and… Zoology.” I went in to ask if I could shadow or volunteer and ended up giving them my resume. They called me that day for a position as a part time Education department.
That was over 18 years ago. I have found my passion and my calling. Working in a zoo or sanctuary combines all of the things that I believe make life interesting. I get to directly help with conservation and education. I get to solve very complex problems, and work with a team of highly skilled and dedicated team members. I have managed small groups of animals with the education department at Chehaw, and assisted with the rest of the animal collection at various times. I have developed very successful education programs, camps, volunteer programs, and policies. I was also on the zoo’s emergency response team. I have even spent just under two years as the Guest Services Supervisor over ticket sales, concessions and gift shop. I was able to carry those skills over and further develop them at Bear Hollow Zoo in Athens Ga. I have been directly involved with implementing enrichment and wellness protocols and research for enrichment of bears in captivity. I have managed the captive wellbeing of many native to Georgia animals like eagles, owls, bears, alligators, snakes, and have been involved with zoo planning for the last 10 years.
I often get asked what my favorite animal is. That is a difficult question to answer. After thinking about it for a long time (… alligators, owls, beavers), my answer has to be… YOU, the people that I encounter. That is why we have zoos. I cant even make a dent into conservation by myself, but if we can inspire others to help out in any way, we can do so much more together. Who knows, the next Jim Fowler or Steve Irwin may walk through our gates. More importantly, thousands of school children can have the opportunity that I was lucky enough to have as a child. Youth today can not always ramble into the woods to explore, touch and experience the wild. A single experience can change us. It stays with us. The experience that they will get at YRWS will only make them and the world we share a better place.
Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary has a long and wonderful story. I am glad to be able to assist with the next chapter. My goal is to have a world class facility that is dedicated to education, conservation, research and recreation. This will have a direct impact not only within Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary, but on the community of Lilburn and throughout the state of Georgia.
I have been married for 31 years to my wife Jennifer, and have two adult daughters, Rachel and Sarah.
My hobbies include:
- disc golf (I’m not great, just supper addicted to it)
- vintage campers
- target archery
- medieval marshal arts (fencing and swordsmanship)
- and trying to play the mandolin
MAE CANNON
Hi, everyone! My name is Mae, and I’m the Lead Keeper here at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. I primarily care for our small mammals and wolves, and I also manage the sanctuary’s social media accounts.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecology. My journey at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary began as an intern, and it quickly became clear that wildlife care was where I was meant to be. Every day, I have the privilege of working with an incredible variety of species, and my passion for this field continues to grow.
My love for animals started at a young age, and I always dreamed of one day working alongside them. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such an amazing team and to contribute to the sanctuary’s mission. I’m excited to see how we continue to grow and make an even greater impact for wildlife in the years ahead!
AIDAN
Hi everyone, I’m Aidan. I am our Assistant Lead Keeper and responsible for the care of our primates and river otters. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. I stepped my foot into the field in 2017 as a volunteer at Georgia Aquarium, which gave me experience with a wide variety of animals like sharks and rays to snakes and frogs. Growing at Georgia Aquarium, I became an intern and eventually apprentice trainer with their dolphin team. From a young age I have been passionate about animals and having the opportunity to be a keeper here at YRWS has been a privilege. Working alongside animals that act as ambassadors for their species and inspiring conservation efforts is what makes every day here incredibly fulfilling.
NATHAN
I have been fascinated with animals for as long as I can remember. As a three-year-old, I once brought an earthworm from my backyard into the kitchen and excitedly proclaimed, “Look, Mom, a snail!” While my knowledge of animals has definitely grown over the years, the passion I had years ago remains.
When it came time to choose a path after graduating highschool, a Bachelor’s in Zoo and Wildlife Biology was the logical choice to continue developing that knowledge and passion. Shortly after graduating, I started volunteering at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. After about 8 months, I came on as a part time employee, and about two years later was made our full time swing keeper.
As a swing keeper, I had the opportunity to work with every animal we have, from owls to turtles to bears. My responsibilities now are a little more specialized. While I still work with all animals occasionally, I am the primary reptile keeper, which means I get to spend a lot of time with our newest animals, the American alligators. They have quickly become my favorite animals that we have, and I look forward to training them and watching them grow!
NOEL
Growing up, animals were always a big part of my life. From family pets to spending as much time as possible around animals, I knew from a young age that I wanted to build a career working with them. That passion eventually led me to Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary, where I have been a Barn Keeper since 2024.
While I enjoy caring for all of the animals at the sanctuary, I have always had a special love for barn animals, especially horses. I am fascinated by their intelligence, personalities, and the unique relationships that can be built through trust and consistent care. Working in the barn allows me to combine my passion with hands on animal husbandry, training, enrichment, and daily care.
One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping provide a safe and enriching environment for every animal while also sharing their stories with guests. I love helping visitors connect with animals and inspiring a greater appreciation for the care and dedication that goes into animal welfare.
Every day at the sanctuary brings new challenges and opportunities to learn. Whether I’m caring for a longtime resident or working with a new animal, I am continually inspired by the animals around me and grateful to be part of a team dedicated to their well being.
KYLE
Hello, my name is Kyle, or as my students call me, Field Trip Guy. I am leading the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary Education Department. I have lived in the Atlanta Metro area my whole life and used to visit the Yellow River Game Ranch as a child. I am a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. I started at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary back in 2023 as a member of our ZooCrew and with the enthusiasm I brought to that position, Clint believed I could be well suited for a future in education. I’m excited for my work here to delight those that love animals and hopefully inspire the next generation of wildlife conservationists.