Lisa Marie Stevens facts for kids

Lisa Marie Stevens is an American zoologist who worked at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo. She retired in 2011. At the zoo, she was a senior curator for mammals. This means she helped manage many animals. She was in charge of both the giant panda program and the primate program.

She worked at the National Zoo from 1978 until her retirement. She started managing the panda breeding program as early as 1987. However, she became very well known after the birth of the panda cub Tai Shan in 2005. People around the world sometimes called her "the Panda Lady."

As a curator, her job included many things. She managed the budget and helped design new animal exhibits. She also supervised the people who worked with the animals. Besides pandas, she was responsible for primates. These included gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, and macaques. She is recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Early Life and Education

Lisa Stevens moved around a lot when she was a kid. Her father was in the United States Army. She lived in places like Okinawa, Japan, and Bangkok, Thailand. In these places, she met many different animals.

Stevens said she was always interested in animals. Even when she was very young, she would pick up caterpillars and hold snakes. When she was ten, she started taking horseback riding lessons. She said this was her first interest in becoming a veterinarian. She watched the vet work on horses at the polo club in Bangkok.

Stevens went to high school in Washington D.C. She then earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology/Pre-Veterinary Medicine. She got this degree in 1977 from Michigan State University. She also completed a special program in 1986. This program was for professional management in zoos and aquariums.

Career at the National Zoo

After finishing university, Stevens moved to Washington, D.C.. In 1978, she started working as an animal keeper at the National Zoo. She was promoted to a management role in 1981. She began managing the primate program that same year. In 1987, she also took over the giant panda program.

Her responsibilities included many daily tasks. She managed the staff and the budget. She also helped with long-term plans and kept important records. She was involved in research and education. She even helped design and build new animal exhibits.

The Birth of Tai Shan

In 2005, Lisa Stevens was the Assistant Curator for the giant panda program. That year, Tai Shan was born. Tai Shan was a very special cub. He was the first panda cub to survive at the National Zoo. He was also only the third panda cub born in the United States.

Stevens became the main person to talk to reporters about Tai Shan's birth. She described his early adventures in a fun way. This made her very popular in interviews. She was featured in the Chicago Tribune newspaper. She also appeared in two Animal Planet documentaries. These were A Panda is Born (2005) and Baby Panda's First Year (2006). Both documentaries were released together again in 2008.

Other Contributions

Stevens also helps with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan. This plan helps protect many different animal species. She also helped start an organization called Beads for Education, Inc. She is on its Board of Directors. This organization helps fund the education of over 300 girls in Kenya.