A career in zoo keeping

¶ … Vocational Interest in Becoming a Zookeeper

Becoming a zookeeper is my current professional goal. Zookeepers typically work in zoos and their responsibilities include caring for and feeding animals and educating the general public about important issues of biological and ecological conservation. In addition to working directly with animals, zookeepers sometimes specialize in scientific areas of interest. The profession seems to be a perfect way to combine my interest in science, my love for animals, my desire to do something in connection with ecology or nature conservation, and my desire to work with people as well.

Responsibilities of Zookeepers

Zookeepers are responsible for the daily care, feeding, and the veterinary care of a wide variety of animal species. That is a challenging responsibility because zoos often maintain hundreds of different animal species ranging from the smallest insects, rodents, and reptiles to the largest mammals like elephants and zebra. All of these species have very different needs in terms of their diet, their habitats, climates, and the type of care that they require. Many species require a very narrow range of temperature and other climatic conditions to survive and thrive. In addition, certain species are very dangerous and capable of injuring zookeepers accidentally; other species are potentially deadly to human beings being they are carnivorous. According to the zookeepers at the Australia Zoo,

"Okay, well being a zoo keeper is a lot of different things, and also (involves)

working with a lot of different animals, so most zoo keepers that start here at the Zoo work with some of the smaller animals that we've got - things like kangaroos, koalas, that sort of thing. And a lot of people who start doing that usually volunteer at the Zoo for... sometimes a few months until a job comes up. Some people also go to university and study different animal sciences. But I guess the most important thing is to have some practical experience working with animals and that can not only be achieved in a zoo, but also in a vet clinic or in an animal shelter... even on a farm. Anywhere that is involved with looking after and caring for animals."

(Australia Zoo, 2010)

Zookeepers are also responsible for educating the general public about important ecological and wildlife conservation issues. In that respect, one of my professional idols was Steve Irwin who was tragically killed in 2006 in an encounter with a sting ray (Webber, 2011). While he was best known for his television show, the Crocodile Hunter, he was actually a world-renowned environmental conservationist who had dedicated his life to protecting endangered animal species and to educating the public about the importance of protecting the natural environmental habitat of wildlife species. According to the Queensland Department of Education and Training (2006),

"Steve had a significant influence on thousands of Queensland school children and his passion for the environment and wildlife was extremely infectious.

He

worked tirelessly to protect the world's animals and environment. He was awarded the Queensland Museum's highest accolade in 2003 - the Queensland

Museum Medal - for his exceptional contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Australian wildlife at an international level and his commitment and passion to conservation and the environment."

Becoming a Zookeeper

Becoming a zookeeper does not necessarily require any specific advanced degree but the field is highly competitive so it would be advisable to pursue a college degree in a related field such as Zoology, Animal Husbandry, Biology, or Ecology (UoF, 2011). Besides educational credentials, the next most important factor is experience. According to the Jacksonville, Florida Zoo,

"Our Zoo can have up to 100 or more applications for every zookeeper opening here at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. As a result, it is important to know how to separate yourself from the other applicants. Although there are many things considered, it usually comes down to two basics -- experience and education." The best way to get that experience is to volunteer at a zoo.