Terry Merkel single-handedly kept the MNA zoology collections intact with his arrival in 1983. As both a paid and volunteer staff member, his hard work and concern ensured the Museum would continue to have viable specimens and records for those specimens – even though budget and program demands did not allow funds for preservation or basic operations.
He logged up to 350-400 volunteer hours annually. He prepared study skins and skeletons, managed specimen loan records, and upgraded specimen storage, among other things. He dedicated his own time and energy to the caretaking of collections, ensuring their continued availability for scientific and research use.
Terry earned his BS in Biology from University of San Francisco and his MA in Zoology from University of California at Berkeley. He worked as a fisheries biologist for the Georgia Game and Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before retiring. In the time-honored tradition of MNA, after his retirement, Terry began volunteering at the Museum.