Wild Jobs: Naturalist Traná Madsen

Naturalist Traná Madsen wrangles spiders, snakes, and salamanders to connect people with nature.

Q: Did you know there’s a large, hairy spider on your face?

A: Yes, actually. I use it to teach people about spiders and show them there’s nothing to fear. It normally doesn’t crawl on my face.

Q: Are all the nature center animals this well-behaved?

A: No. A bullsnake once slithered around my waist and into my belt loops. It didn’t want to come out. Someone had to help me pull the snake through — just like a belt!

Q: Have you ever been bitten by a snake?

A: When I worked at a preschool, parents never asked if I’d been bitten by their child, yet it happened often. I’ve been a naturalist eight years and give 150 programs each year. Never once has a snake bitten me, but people ask about it all the time.

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: Helping people connect with nature. I once helped a teacher who was afraid of snakes find the courage to touch one. Her whole class cheered.

Q: What else do you do besides nature programs?

A: I play detective a lot. People come to me with questions, and I try to answer them. One gentleman brought in bones and wanted to know what they were. I finally figured out they were throat teeth from a fish called a carp.

Q: Why did you become a naturalist?

A: Taking care of nature runs in my family. My dad, a wildlife biologist, encouraged and inspired my love of the outdoors. He said, "You would be great as a naturalist."