DR. MENKE: Marine Mammal Veterinarian in Wendall’s Lullaby
Dr. Aldo Menke is one of the main characters in my novel Wendall’s Lullaby. I derived his name from the minke whale–the second smallest of the baleen whales. He is a veterinarian that specializes in the care and rehabilitation of marine mammals–especially bottlenose dolphins.
Here is an excerpt about Dr. Menke from Wendall’s Lullaby:
Following his return to the US in 1971, Menke opted to stay in the Army, but instead of requesting the opportunity to attend medical school, he decided to attend veterinary school at the University of California–Davis. His Navy friend Collins worked a deal to have him assigned as an intern/assistant to the Army veterinarians who supervised the care of the dolphins, belugas, and sea lions in the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program (NMMP). Collins also made sure that Menke had the transportation to make the long trip at least once a week. Upon graduation, he joined the NMMP vet team full-time. Within five years, he was the head veterinarian. Over the course of more than 20 years, he managed captive breeding programs, assisted with, and lead, a variety of research projects, got to know several hundred dolphins and sea lions, met a number of SEALs and managed the transition to exclusive, marine mammal specific special operations teams (MSOTs).
How did Dr. Menke become involved in the political intrigue and conspiracies in Wendall’s Lullaby? Well you’ll just have to read my novel to find out.
Kip Koelsch Author 