National Zoo Keeper Week 2018
The Life of a Zoo Keeper
By Joseph Nappi
July 20, 2018
National Zoo Keeper Week is a time to highlight the important work that animal care professionals do on a daily basis. Zoo keepers have arguably one of the best jobs in the world. Most members of the visiting public get excited any time they meet a keeper, and in a way seem to live vicariously through the experiences we get to have every day.
However there is often a lack of understanding of the qualifications needed to work with animals, and just what is it that keepers do every day.
“Being a keeper does not just stop the minute we clock out at the end of the day. The animal care profession is a lifetime of passion.”
Most keepers have their bachelor’s degree in an animal science discipline. Some even hold a masters degree. Keepers typically get degrees in animal science, wildlife management, zoology, biology, pre-vet, as well as conservation and environmental science.
It is important for keepers to have a good science-based reservoir of knowledge to understand the complex needs of animals — including their anatomy, diseases, nutritional needs, behavior, and the challenges facing them from a conservation standpoint.
The road to being a keeper is one of the most competitive out there. Having a college degree is just the start. What really sets keepers apart from the intense competition is work experience.
Future keepers put in countless hours completing internships, volunteer experiences, farm work, wildlife rehab, and any other animal experiences that can set themselves apart from the competition. Almost all of these experiences are unpaid and really show the extra mile a person is willing to take to get into their dream profession.
A typical day in the life of a keeper is a busy one! While we get to spend time interacting with the amazing creatures in our care, we spend the bulk of the day doing all the necessary tasks that go into their daily care. Being in the animal care profession is not for the faint of heart.
There is often grueling work involved. From the minute we start work, we have to check all the animals to see if they are healthy and safe. We feed many of the species in our care an early breakfast, set up the vast exhibits, and get all the animals out before the park opens to the public at ten o’clock.
From there we clean all the nighttime quarters, which often takes up about half the day. In addition we conduct training for husbandry behaviors, plan enrichment activities to make each day novel and new for the animals in our care, prepare evening diets, and make sure everything is set up for bringing in the animals when the park closes.
“It is important for keepers to have a good science-based reservoir of knowledge to understand the complex needs of animals — including their anatomy, diseases, nutritional needs, behavior, and the challenges facing them from a conservation standpoint.”
Being a keeper does not just stop the minute we clock out at the end of the day. The animal care profession is a lifetime of passion. The wildlife and wild places around the globe are at a tipping point. The earth is losing countless plant and animal species due to human activity. It is hard to keep up with the constant pressures and exploitation that the world’s natural areas are currently experiencing.
As keepers, it is our job to inspire the millions of visitors that enter our gates on an annual basis. We also hold our own fundraisers outside the zoo, take part in local conservation endeavors, try to live a sustainable lifestyle, and educate our friends and family about the work we do.
If the aforementioned hard work, passion, and drive sounds enticing, maybe YOU, too, are cut out to join the legions of hard working keepers around the globe.
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Joseph Nappi is Senior Keeper in the Mammal Department of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo and a member of the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK).
