Zookeeper

For other uses, see Zookeeper (disambiguation).

A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo with bird handler at Australia Zoo

A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems. They may also be involved in scientific research or public education, such as conducting tours and answering questions.

A zookeeper is a person who manages zoo animals that are kept in captivity for conservation or to be displayed to the public. They work very closely with all the animals in the zoos and have many responsibilities to maintain the health and wellness of each animal. They must have good record keeping skills since there is a lot of data that must be collected for each animal. Each species is different from each other and requires special attention and care that a zookeeper must give. Zookeepers also have a very interesting history that starts in B.C. and continues to the present day.

Someone wanting to become a zookeeper must want to care for other species, not be opposed to hard labor. Although Zookeepers require record keeping skills, this occupation is not an office job. Zoos are open to the public and are visited by all varieties of people and ages, and zookeepers must also entertain and inform the zoo’s visitors. There are zoos all over the world with many different types of animals therefore there are opportunities all over the world. There is little career growth in the zoo keeping position, but some continue their education and become zoologists. Zookeepers develop relationships with their animals and contribute in keeping their species from becoming extinct.

History

Animal collections requiring wild animal care takers or zookeepers have existed since about 3,000 B.C. originally this profession was not called a zookeeper and we may never know since terminology used to describe this such profession and ones of the same sort have been lost in many cases due to languages being lost throughout history.

Early civilizations in Mesopotamia (present day Iraq), Egypt, China and Pakistan / NW India allowed rulers and the wealthy classes citizens to keep collections of wild animals. These civilizations had individuals which caught and cared for wild animals such as fish and birds. These individuals took care of wild animals, and treated sick and injured animals.

King Hammurabi (Babylonia, 1728-1686 BC) established the first known Code of Laws, which included fees that could be charged by “ox and ass doctors” or we know today as veterinarians. There is also said to be a picture from the palace wall of King Ashurbanipal 627 B.C. showing a servant releasing a lion out of a crate into the King’s animal collection.

Some ancient collections of animals were very large and contained a wide variety of species, although specific details of these collections were not recorded. Many cultures such as the Chinese, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Arabian, and Indian collected. Little is known about how or where they kept these animals. Our knowledge comes from when these animals appeared in the processionals (parades) or in the arena fights. However there is proof that large elephant exhibits were maintained outside of Rome. There is also proof of people who cared for the sick animals (veterinarians).

On the other side of the world known as the New World, Aztec and Inca societies also maintained large animal collections. While these were only discovered in the early 16th century, they were much older than that. Montezuma (Mexico City) had the largest known collections. One collection consisted of birds and required some 300 keepers. Another collection consisted of mammals and reptiles requiring another 300 keepers. There were also fresh and salt water fish ponds. But up until this time period no known animal collections existed in North America.

Duties and Responsibilities

Zookeepers with a cheetah at Australia Zoo.

There are many responsibilities a zookeeper needs to perfect in animal care. A zookeepers responsibilities includes feeding, maintaining, cleaning for the animals, diet preparation, behavioral observation, record keeping, exhibit maintenance and, providing environmental enrichment for the animals in their care. They also conduct behavioral or reproductive research on a species and participate in public education through talks, programs, or shows. Such as food for the animals must be weighed carefully so the animal's weight can be logged accurately on the zookeeper’s nutrition diet log. The zookeeper is also responsible for adding supplements in the food or even mix in medications when required. They must clean enclosures every day. The areas in which the animals are in are sprayed with disinfectant, scrubbed with a broom like scrub brush, rinsed and dry mopped. The zookeepers also assist very young animals. They look for any signs of injuries or illness in the young ones and all the others, and must write everything down in their logs, and if the animal is injured the keeper is responsible for contacting a veterinarian, and sometimes a zookeeper will assist a veterinarian in a medical procedure.

Some zookeepers train the animals to make caring for them easier. For example, a zookeeper can train an elephant to lift their feet so that a veterinarian can check them easier. Some zookeepers are responsible for informing an audience in an exhibit or presentation about certain types of animals and the behavior characteristics, they also talk about experiences with the animal, and answer questions. The keeper is also responsible for lecturing the visiting public on how to behave responsibly toward the exhibited animals.

Depending on the zoo structure, keepers may be assigned to work with a broad group of animals, such as mammals, birds, or reptiles, or they may work with a limited collection of animals such as primates, large cats, or small mammals. Traditionally, the live exhibits were often organized by taxonomy, resulting in clusters of carnivores cages, bird aviaries, primate exhibits, and so on, which led to sections within a zoo cared for by specialized staff. Some keepers can become highly specialized such as those who concentrate on a specific group of animals like birds, great apes, elephants or reptiles. Modern habitat exhibits attempt to display a diversity of species of different animal classes within one enclosure to represent ecosystem concepts. Groups of enclosures are organized by themes, relating to, for example, zoogeography and bioclimatic zones, rather than taxonomy. The shift in exhibit arrangements is changing the scope of work for animal keepers, as they become habitat keepers, with a necessary working knowledge of living environment care, including landscape maintenance, plant care, climate control, and expanded knowledge of animals husbandry for many more species across taxonomic classes.

Educational Requirements

The educational requirements for an entry level zoo keeper vary. In the USA they are often a college degree in zoology, biology, wildlife management, animal science, or some other animal-related field. Some colleges offer programs oriented towards a career in zoos. Job advancement is also possible but more limited than in some other careers requiring a college degree. In other institutions keepers are required to have finished a full apprenticeship as craftsmen, before receiving special training for their task as animal keeper. In fact in many European countries, people intending to keep or take care of wild animals need to be licensed. This license will only be given if they can prove sufficient knowledge and practical abilities (evidence of competence). Of course in the vast array of zoos in the world, some of them are still privately-owned amateur facilities with a lack of well trained personnel. In contrast, some zoos in Australia have a strong reliance on dedicated part-time volunteer workers, who assist zookeepers in the simpler tasks such as preparation of foods and medicines, and cleaning of animal enclosures.

In order for an individual to achieve their goal of becoming a zookeeper or an animal care and service worker, one would first have to obtain a high school diploma or something equivalent to a general education diploma. Having this document does not entitle someone an occupation as an animal care technician. Additional education, like obtaining a bachelor’s degree, may be required to fulfill certain job requirements. Positions such as marine mammal trainers often require a bachelor’s in psychology, biology, animal science, or related fields. Many keepers are registered veterinary technicians (RVT), having completed an animal health technician program at schools. Sometimes people ask themselves what college would they need to attend in order to attain a secure position in the animal service field. Community colleges such as Mount San Antonio College, CA, offer a wide range of classes concerning this field. If one wishes to do so, he or she can attend colleges known for their programs in animal science. Colleges such as Cornell University, and the University of Florida and Georgia all have been recognized as one of the top schools concerning animal sciences. Professions like animal trainers, handlers, caretakers or keepers require some certification from a vocational school or schools approved by the state for such licensing. Typically, those who wish to attain their objective of working in the animal service industry receive some sort of on-the-job-training. This can be done by volunteering at the local zoo or aquarium, or even in places such as dog kennels and animal shelters. Having this occupational experience gives an individual the skills and provides him or her a sneak peek at the responsibilities involving their pursuit of obtaining placement in their career as an animal care and service worker.

Internships and Volunteer Work

Prospective zookeepers need both love for animals and diligence toward work that can be strenuous and dirty; animals and their food are sometimes heavy and strong-smelling. Because there are fewer jobs than applicants many prospective zookeepers also volunteer at zoos prior to being employed.

In addition to good academic preparation, most zoos prefer to hire people for zookeeping positions who have prior animal-handling experience. There is a wide variety of internships that aspiring zoo keepers can take both during and after college. Many of these internships can be found by going to a local zoo or aquarium. Other internships can be found in an animal-related facility, including vet hospitals, humane society shelters, wildlife rehabilitation centers, farms and stables. One such internship is the Companion Animal Services (CAS) Internship program at PAWS. Most internships are unpaid and 15 to 20 hours a week for a duration of three months. Internships are an excellent opportunity for individuals who are considering a career in animal welfare, are interested in animal sheltering; want to learn more about companion animals and their behaviors. With not many zoo’s to be found in the world there is only so high of a demand for zoo keepers. The ratio of employment for zookeepers is about 1 hired zookeeper for every ten applicants. With this very low employment rate it can be very hard to find a job in a zoo. Some of the only jobs possible to get placed into at a zoo are Zoo Keeper I, Zookeeper II (requires completion with honors), Exotic Animal Handler (requires completion with honors), Exotic Animal Trainer (requires completion with honors), Wildlife / Conservation Educator, Zoo Exhibit Designer / Artificial Landscape, and Zoo Registrar, with zoological background. Since zoo keepers are not in high demand there are many other animal related jobs that are possible to look into such as zoologist, naturalist, veterinarians, wildlife management, forestry, conservation, and ecology.

Job Outlook

Because zoo animals require care and maintenance for every day of the year, keepers' schedules include working weekends and holidays; so keepers work on a rota to cover all periods.

The qualifications and salary of zookeepers both vary widely. A junior keeper in a small zoo may have no qualifications other than an affinity for the job, while a senior keeper in a large zoo would probably have both a relevant academic degree and extensive experience.

Before looking too deep into a potential job as a zoo keeper make sure that it’s something you love to do due to the fact that the average zookeeper makes approximately $14.00 an hour and advances are few and far between. Some of the Job advancements available are senior keeper, assistant head keeper, head keeper, or assistant curator. With additional education zookeepers may become curators, veterinarians, or zoologists. A zookeeper may also advance by moving to a larger zoo. The number of zoos in the United States is not expected to increase greatly in the near future, so stiff competition will exist for all zoo positions.

Additional information

Although zoo keeping as a profession is not in high demand, it is clear by their extensive history that there is a place for it in society. Whenever exotic animals are present someone will be needed to provide care, food and shelter for these creatures, someone with the skill, education and compassion that a zookeeper possesses. While not everyone who has entered into a career as a zookeeper has acquired a formal education with a degree, it can be said that they do possess a deep love of all types of animals. Those wishing to further their education in pursuit an exciting career as a zookeeper should look to schools offering specialized training or degrees in that field. Some of these schools include but are not limited to these three educational institutes: Moorpark College, CA, Santa Fe College, FL, Michigan State University. Santa Fe College is the only zookeeper training facility in the United States with its own AZA-accredited zoo on grounds: Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. In addition to zoo science, some schools such Davidson County Community College, NC, offer aquaria academic programs. Once the desired (or required) amount of education is completed it is recommended that one seek out various internships or engage in job placement opportunities to further their career. Internships can be made through local humane societies, wildlife rehabilitation centers, or animal hospitals. The skills and experience gained at these centers can assist one in advancing to the next level at a zoo or aquarium. It is also important to familiarize one’s self with the basic duties and responsibilities a zookeeper engages in on a daily bases such as feeding, cleaning, and training the animals, providing information and entertainment to zoo guest, as well as assisting veterinarians with ill or injured. It is important to remember that exotic animals are not like domestic pets and should also be handled with proper care and caution. There is some danger present with dealing with these animals and that is an important aspect of the zookeeper profession to take into consideration.

External links

• American Association of Zookeepers website
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums

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