ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — Marco Wendt has been with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for nearly 30 years and now serves as a wildlife ambassador and spokesperson, sharing his passion for animals and his authentic self.
Wendt calls the Safari Park his second home, where he has developed deep connections with the animals, especially the birds. He has known some of the birds, including a milky eagle owl, for over a decade.
"This is where I started, 16-year-old Marco starting here," Wendt said.
His passion for his job is evident when he discusses his role at the zoo.
"The privilege, the honor, and the responsibility you have as a spokesperson," Wendt said about what he loves about his job.
While Wendt now confidently embraces his identity as a member of the LGBTQ community, growing up presented challenges.
"I grew up in a family where, you know, men are men," Wendt said. "Looking back as an adult, I think about my parents... I'm sure they were nervous. What was it going to mean for them having a gay child?"
The wildlife industry has also evolved significantly since Wendt began his career.
"Even starting here in wildlife care when I started around 16, you know, I didn't see a lot of people of the same skin color as me, the same sexual preferences, you know, part of the queer community as an example," Wendt said.
Today, Wendt serves as a role model that he didn't have as a young boy. His husband, who is also his partner of nearly 20 years, works for the alliance as well.
Reflecting on his journey brings Wendt to an emotional place.
"It speaks to like just wanna, you, you want to express who you are and just be, be yourself," Wendt said.
He hopes his pride will inspire others to confidently embrace their authentic selves, drawing parallels between human diversity and the natural world.
"If you're in a place somewhere where you feel alone, you don't have a community, look up in the sky and look at a bird or look at a flower and just understand that there's that same vibrancy of self and self expression in all of Mother Nature, so it's around you," Wendt said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
