"Zoo keeper" is a term used to describe an individual who cares for animals in zoological parks or aquariums. A career as a zoo keeper offers a unique opportunity in the specialized and demanding profession of maintaining captive exotic animals for conservation, research, public education and recreation.

Zoo keepers care for a diverse collection of animals from mammals and birds to reptiles and amphibians to fish and invertebrates. Some keepers become highly specialized, such as those who work in animal hospitals or who concentrate on a specific group of animals such as exotic birds, great apes, elephants or reptiles.

Important basic duties of zoo keepers include daily cleaning and maintenance of animal enclosures and proper feeding of the animals under their care. Zoo keepers may help design, build and repair animal enclosures and care for the plants in and around the exhibits. Keepers must also be excellent observers, learning habits and behaviors of both individual animals and groups. Professional zoo keepers must be able to detect subtle changes in an animal's physical or psychological condition and then react accordingly. These responsibilities should not be underestimated since they are essential in maintaining a healthy and reproductively successful animal colletion.

In addition, zoo keepers will work closely with zoo managers on conservation, reproductive husbandry and research projects. This research will provide zoos with important information to help preserve rare and endangered species and learn more about species which may become threatened in the future.

Keepers serve as the first line of public relations for their institutions. Interactions with visitors help to increase the public's awareness of the important role of zoos in wildlife conservation. Keepers should be knowledgeable about the animals in their zoo, the animals' natural habitat and habits, and zoos in general. They should be friendly and professional when answering questions from visitors.

The educational requirements for an entry level zoo keeper varies but is often a college degree in zoology, biology or an animal-related field. Some animal care experience such as zoo volunteer or intern, or veterinary hospital worker is also helpful. Some colleges offer specific programs oriented towards a career in zoos. The Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida, for example, has a Teaching Zoo, while Moorpark College in California offers an Exotic Animal Training Management Program.

Zoo keeping can be a demanding job requiring dedication, commitment, and patience. Keepers should be reliable people who are willing to learn and improve their performance in a cooperative setting. Concern for their animals is essential since the animal's lives depend largely on how the keepers view their jobs. With such professional attitudes, keepers develop a sense of pride in their work and in their accomplishments and contributions.

Animal keepers must be physically able to perform the required work and be in a general state of good health. A person who is interested in zoo work should be aware of the risk of animal inflicted injury or disease. For these reasons, direct contact with animals is minimized and strictly managed.

Because zoo animals require daily care and maintenance, keepers'  schedules include working weekends and holidays. Wages are often  relatively low considering the training and education which is usually  required. Even so, zoo keeper jobs are at a premium and some applicants may become frustrated over the initial difficulty in entering the animal care profession. The future for careers in zoo work continues to expand and is promising for both men and women.

Job advancement is also possible but more limited than in some other careers requiring a college degree. While keepers do move into management positions, many prefer to remain at the important front lines of animal care where their skills and experience have the most direct impact.

Zoo keeping offers a unique opportunity for an individual to pursue a career that is stimulating as well as demanding, and from which one may develop a deep sense of satisfaction. The personal gratification of successfully maintaining and reproducing wild animals -- especially rare or endangered species -- can be highly rewarding. Zoo keepers must devote considerable time and effort in order to establish a healthy, well-adjusted animal collection. Anyone who is willing to make this sort of commitment should seriously consider a career as a professional zoo keeper.

Keeper Feedback

Why did you choose to work at the zoo?
I've always had a tremendous respect for nature and wildlife and wanted to find a career that would allow me to be close to those two things. By working in a zoo I get to travel the savannas of Africa, the rain forests of South America, and the tropics of India all in one day! But even more importantly, I get to help improve the quality of life for captive animals, help educate the public on endangered species, and hopefully contribute to the preservation of our environment and the species within it.

Do you like to work with animals why or why not?
Yes I love working with animals. They are all so different and so amazing! Have you seen the specialized claw of the anteater that allows it to rip through termite mounds? The "fingers" on an elephant's trunk that allows it to pick up and manipulate things? Or how about the length of a giraffe's neck that allows it pick leaves from the tip top of acacia trees? It's fascinating to learn about all of their unique adaptations.

Did you have to study about animals a lot if so why?
Yes I did have to study quite a bit. I took four years of college and have a Bachelors degree in Wildlife Biology. This is important on many levels; to understand how animals interact with their environment and with each other; behavioral learning in animals; wildlife diseases; how their bodies work and why; what is essential to their survival; and much much more.

What is your favorite animal in the zoo and why?
I have a very hard time picking just one animal to be my favorite. I enjoy the otters quite a bit because they seem so playful and curious.

When did you start thinking about working in the zoo?
I first started thinking about working in a zoo when I was in high school. Originally I wanted to work as a zoo veterinarian, but I later decided that I didn't want to work with the animals just when they were sick or in need of vaccinations or dental work. I wanted to work with them every day!

Is it hard to work at the zoo why?
Yes sometimes it can be very difficult working at the zoo. The hardest thing is working outside when its 110 degrees or when it's really windy or rainy! Another thing that makes it hard working at the zoo is that when an animal is sick it can't tell you what's wrong, so you have to be a detective and look for clues to tell you what might be wrong and why.

What is your job?
My job includes a variety of things. Primarily I feed the animals, clean their exhibits and night houses, and observe them closely to make sure all of their needs are being met. I also try and think of ways to keep them interested and interacting with their environment. In the wild an animal's surroundings are constantly changing. They are encountering other animals, different kinds of plants and landscapes, and they spend lots of time hunting or foraging for food. In a zoo they are in the same environment everyday. I try to do things such as hiding their food so they have to look for it like they would in the wild, or putting different smells in their exhibits that they might like, or finding nontoxic plants from a different part of the zoo that they wouldn't normally encounter and putting it in their exhibit. All of this and much more is part of what my job includes.

How long have you been working at the zoo?
I've been working as a keeper for almost a year but I have spent a couple years volunteering on weekends at a couple different zoos just to get some experience.

Do you plan to work at the zoo for the rest of your life?
This is a career that makes me very happy. I will continue to work at the zoo as long as I feel I am doing a good job and I'm happy doing it!

Where can I train to become a zoo keeper?

Go to Job Opportunities

America's Teaching Zoo: Students Say Work is Tough but Worth It.

A Futures Channel documentary about the students who are taking their love for animals to the next level at "America's Teaching Zoo." Watch the movie:

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/realworld/teaching_zoo/

Burbank, CA (PRWeb) February 21, 2007: Today's homework: Hand-feed tigers, divvy up raw meat for hyenas and teach the sea lion to play hide and seek.

For the students at Moorpark College's Exotic Animal Training and Management Program, learning to train and care for wild animals means getting out of the classroom and getting their hands dirty.

"It's seven days a week from 6:3 0am to 5:00 pm. Animals have to eat. They need to be cleaned and taken care of," says Moorpark student Christie Kreider. "You don't get up and put make-up on. There's no make-up at a zoo. It's definitely a commitment but it's worth it."

"America's Teaching Zoo" is the latest micro-documentary released by The Futures Channel, whose popular movies are routinely shown in tens of thousands of classrooms to give students a real world context for the math and science they are studying. When it comes to caring for animals, math, especially measurement, is an essential tool to monitor the condition of the animals and to determine the correct quantity of food to keep them healthy.

According to the teaching zoo's website, nearly every animal on the 5-acre zoo is assigned to a student or group of students. It is their responsibility to ensure the animals are getting everything they need. As part of the program, students also provide educational shows that introduce children to wildlife they wouldn't otherwise encounter.

"I just have always wanted to work with animals my whole life and not very many people get to do this, so I feel really privileged. Every day is unexpected," Kreider says in the documentary. "When I can hold a bald eagle and show him to children and I can teach them about him, that's really special to me."

The zoo program provides students with unique experiences every day and opportunities to work with animals for a living. Moorpark student Krista Anderson explains that she has had many experiences she never dreamed of. "I never thought I would be feeding a cougar… ever."

The facility, located in Moorpark, California, is one of only two teaching zoos in the country. Graduates of the program enter a variety of fields, including working at zoos and animal conservation programs. After graduating from the program in 1977, Professor Gary Wilson returned to the college in 1981 to teach animal behavior, animal diversity and animal training. Both Kreider and Anderson are among Wilson's students. "I'm really lucky," says Wilson, "because I get to help people make their dreams come true."

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Please contact Susan Chan for more information about a career in zoo keeping, or contact your local zoological park and/or aquarium.