Wildlife photography… but first get to know Rick Beldegreen
My first wildlife BLOG post!!! What’s it all about? And who is Rick Beldegreen?
With this blog I hope to entertain, educate and inform on many things related to wildlife. That may include such things as my travel to exotic locations, my photography of wildlife from around the world, facts related to wildlife and conservation and whatever else seems relevant, interesting or fun.
I will attempt to persuade you to get involved in any way possible to help in the preservation of our environment and wildlife as many eco-systems and numerous plant and animal species are on the brink of extinction.
I want it to be known from the onset that I DO NOT profess to be an EXPERT on any of the topics I might discuss. Some of my musings may be based on personal opinion, experience or research. I am happy to entertain differing points of view. Just understand, my basic goal is ALWAYS about being an advocate for wildlife.
Green sea turtle tandem swim, photographed in the clear waters of Maui
My early years
So for those that may not know me (which is the vast majority of you), let me give you some background about the journey I took to become a veterinarian and now a wildlife photographer.
As a kid, I was the only one of my friends who knew early on exactly what I wanted to do “when I grew up”. My parents did nothing to steer me in the direction of veterinary medicine. As a matter of fact, my Dad was a dentist as was his brother.
My Dad assured me that with both of them having gone to NYU dental school ( along with one of their uncles), I would have no problem following in the family tradition. Nepotism was alive and well.
However, the thought of having my hands and face in people’s nasty mouths all day was more than unappealing to me. Of course, I thought nothing about “sharing saliva” with my dog.
My Dad was an old time dentist, never having a single employee; not so much as a receptionist or hygienist. He would have a dental mirror in your mouth with one hand while answering the phone with the other. How things have changed!
My first dog
It actually took considerable coaxing for my parents to get my first dog. My Dad never had pets growing up. My Mom grew up with a dog but as an adult and parent, she was more concerned with having a clean house than having a dog. Anyone old enough to remember clear plastic covers on the living room furniture knows what I’m talking about.
We actually got “a dog for a day” when I was about 6 yrs old. I don’t remember exactly how we obtained it but I think someone, maybe one of my dad’s dental patients, gave it to us. It was a cocker spaniel. Its very first meal in our house was its last in our house. I went to pet “Mr crotchety cocker” while he was eating and he promptly bit me on the hand. Bye bye cocker…
It took at least 4 or 5 yrs after the cocker incident for me to get my first real dog. I had a friend who had a German shorthaired pointer that I just loved. I still remember her name, “Heidi”; a fitting name for a German dog. My parents finally consented to getting a dog; I picked a German shorthaired pointer that I named “Brandy”. Brandy lived a long, great life, well into my college years before my Mom had to part ways with him while I was away at college trying to become a future veterinarian.
My fascination with animals was just innate. My favorite TV show was Marlin Perkins Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. Google “Marlin Perkins” if you’re too young to know him. I always told my parents that if I didn’t become a vet, I wanted to be Marlin Perkins replacement It was a sad day for me when he died in 1986.
The long path to Veterinary Medicine
I started working for a veterinarian as a kennel attendant and general hospital assistant when I was 15 yrs old. All my friends were stocking vegetables, rounding up grocery carts or making deli sandwiches. I was already on my career path!
I was admitted to the pre-veterinary program at Cornell University at the age of 17. Cornell was one of only 17 universities in the country that had a veterinary school. I was full speed ahead towards obtaining my DVM degree. Little did I know that my love of wildlife would be my obstacle to obtaining my goal.
I applied to veterinary school after my junior year at Cornell, as one could apply so long as you had completed all prerequisite courses. I was granted an interview to Cornell Vet school that year but all went south from there, figuratively and literally. I was interviewed by TEN professors at one time, all sitting around a large oval table.
At that time, I was considering going into zoo or wildlife medicine. New York State was the second largest dairy cattle state in the country and in 1973, they were not looking to waste space in their veterinary program on someone interested in zoo animal medicine. I remember to this day the exact condescending words uttered by one of my interviewers; “son, don’t you really just want to be a curator of a zoo”.
I didn’t get into vet school that year and as a graduating senior the following year, I wasn’t even granted an interview. I am convinced that my interview the previous year resulted in me being blackballed from the veterinary program at Cornell.
Devastated and totally pissed, I informed my parents not to bother coming to Ithaca for my graduation from Cornell. I would NOT be attending my undergraduate graduation in 1974. Cornell didn’t want me in their vet school and I couldn’t leave town quick enough. I drove my ‘67 Chevy Impala straight to Florida. I was aware that Florida was getting ready to begin construction on the 18th veterinary school in the country and I wanted to establish residency in the state to be able to apply to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine as a Florida resident.
SeaWorld became my career path for the better part of a decade
In the mean time, I needed a job. SeaWorld had opened in Orlando about 6 months prior to my arrival in Florida. Since I had my sights set on zoo animal medicine, this seemed like a perfect job. I had previously worked in several zoos as summer jobs while in college.
I applied for a position in the Animal Care Department at SeaWorld and soon was cutting fish at midnight; thawing and preparing fish for Shamu the Killer whale and all the other marine mammals in the park. I was low man on the totem pole and was on the dreaded nighttime “fish house shift”.
Fortunately, my stint in “fish house” was relatively short lived as I quickly showed that my ambition and talents were being wasted cutting fish. Once relieved of my nighttime duties, within 2 yrs I received a promotion to Senior Keeper and in another year, I became the Supervisor of Animal Care at SeaWorld. I would end up spending 7 yrs at SeaWorld before realizing that veterinary medicine was still waiting for me.
I met my wife, Gigi at SeaWorld. She worked in the Productions Department. One of her duties included underwater feeding of the aquarium fish while wearing a diving helmet outfitted with a microphone so she could talk to the on-looking park guests. Another job was to be a “plant” in the audience who would be selected to participate in the Whale & Dolphin show, “accidentally” falling off the pool platform and subsequently getting rescued by one of the dolphins, riding it back to the stage by holding on to its dorsal fin. See the below sequence of pics.
Young Rick Beldegreen bottle feeding a baby walrus; providing some “water time interaction” to the same baby walrus ; posing with a rescued, injured manatee that had been hit by a boat; bottle feeding a rescued orphaned manatee whose mom was killed by collision with a motor boat
SeaWorld has endured a lot of bad publicity in recent years but whatever your opinion is now, I will say that SeaWorld was at the forefront of marine mammal medicine. Additionally, when called upon, we traveled all over the state of Florida and beyond to attempt to rescue and rehabilitate beached and injured marine mammals, once driving over 500 miles to Biloxi, Mississippi to rescue an injured manatee.
I learned a lot, had many great experiences and have lots of fond memories from my years at SeaWorld; but it was time to move on.
Obtaining my DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)
After being out of school for 7 years while working at SeaWorld, I was finally admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine at UF in 1981. After graduation from vet school, we moved to North Carolina where I quickly began planning to build my own veterinary hospital. I built 2 hospitals during my career, the first opening in 1987.
Univ of Florida Veterinary School Graduation Day in 1985 with my Mom & Gigi
While still in vet school, I switched my focus from zoo animal medicine to small animal medicine, basically dogs & cats. I still had a great love for wildlife and so I volunteered my veterinary services to the Carolina Raptor Center for almost 20 yrs, mostly performing surgery, repairing broken wings and legs on hawks, eagles and owls. I was amazed at how many of these birds got hit by cars and were shot for sport by “hunters”.
Dr Rick in an exam room of my veterinary hospital. The young lady is actually my eldest daughter Erica, who was born during my senior year of veterinary school. Note the wildlife images decorating my hospital.
After 30 years, I sold my veterinary practice and hospital. I wanted to be young and healthy enough to pursue my very serious hobby of wildlife photography. However, to this day, I maintain my veterinary license and still practice on a very limited basis; occasionally filling in as a relief doctor and working with several reputable dog breeders.
The next chapter, nature & wildlife photography
I had a fascination with photography from an early age. I’m sure I was influenced by my Grandfather’s brother, Great Uncle Gus. Gus was a professional photographer in the early 1900’s. To be a great photographer during that era truly took talent. And Gus had amazing talent as a portrait photographer. Just see below.
My grandparent’s wedding photo taken by Great Uncle Gus Beldegreen in 1911. My Dad as a young boy around 1925. Note the embossed logo on the image on the right. Click on image to enlarge.
I’ve owned dozens of cameras, from my first Kodak Brownie to my Polaroid Instant. My parents visited Japan when I was 14 yrs old. While there, they purchased my first Nikon camera. I’ve owned countless Nikons since that first Nikon gift from my parents. I have been a loyal Nikon shooter for well over 50 years. I currently own 4 Nikons, one exclusively for use as an underwater camera that fits into a waterproof underwater housing.
I dabble in other genres such as landscape and street photography. I once was even coaxed into shooting a wedding. NEVER again! But my niche is and always will be nature and wildlife. I guess that makes sense coming from an animal doctor.
What’s next…
I know this first blog has little to do with photography, travel or wildlife. But I thought by telling you a bit about myself, you might connect more to me as a person, veterinarian, wildlife photographer and now blogger.
My next blog may continue along this same vein as I share some additional anecdotes and photos from SeaWorld and the multiple zoos I worked in while in college; maybe a story or two from veterinary medicine as well.
After that, I promise I’ll move to travel and wildlife photography as I highlight my upcoming trip to Botswana. I hope you stay tuned.
In the meantime, PLEASE tag, share, like, link, comment and whatever else people do on social media to help me reach a larger audience. I am a “baby boomer” so I am not well versed in everything social media has to offer. Tell your friends, family and co-workers to tune in to www.RickBeldegreenNatureClicks.com to enjoy wildlife photography and much more.
Future King
Until next time…
Stay Focused
Rick