Zoo keeping - What we actually do....

Zoo keeping isn't just all about "bunny hugging" as some people say. It isn't all about hugging, stroking or touching the animals. 
It's all about caring for the animals so... some of the day to day husbandry duties a zoo keeper entails (not in order of course):

• Preparing feeds and feeding the animals
• Cleaning- window cleaning, poo (faeces) pick up, change water bowls (empty and refill with fresh water),weeding, sweeping etc... 
• Enriching the animals (To stimulate the animals in their environment) -there are many ways, some of which are below: 
• Giving foods in different ways (boxes, ropes, platforms, burying, scatter etc...)
• Providing novel items such as boomer balls, chew toys, hammocks etc..
• Scent trails 
• Blood ice blocks
• Enclosure design 

Gelada Baboon feeds
 (Taken by author at Colchester zoo)

Blood Ice Blocks as enrichment for smooth coated otters
 (Taken by author at Colchester zoo)

Feeding African Crested Porcupine for scale training
(Taken by Carl Tidy at Reaseheath Zoo)

We have to make sure the animals in our care get the right high standard welfare they need. The Animal Welfare Act (2006) states that the five animal welfare needs (or freedoms as the Zoo Licensing act 1981 states) needs to be complied with. Those are:

1. Suitable environment 
2. Suitable diet 
3. Able to exhibit natural behaviours  
4. Able to be housed with or apart other animal individuals
5. Protection from pain, injury, suffering and disease  

Above are just the day to day duties, other duties of a zoo keeper include research studies with strategically designing diets based upon nutritional components of each food type and we also have the knowledge and understanding of each animal in our care, so we can observe behaviours, illnesses and injuries within our animals.

Enrichment plan for Gelada Baboons, Meerkats,
Smooth Coated Otters and Colobus Monkeys
(Taken by author at Colchester Zoo)

Meerkat Diet sheet
 (Taken by author at Reaseheath Zoo)

Weighing of a Snake Necked Turtle 
(Taken by author at Reaseheath Zoo)

Some other duties (other than the above) include training some of our animals (this is purely for the sake of veterinary procedures, transportation, weighing and health checks), enclosure design- to the best of our ability to mimic the natural environments, Public encounters (presentations) and tours, animal experiences with the public (keeper for the day, shadow a keeper etc..) and much more!  

Target training a Serval Cat 
(Taken at Reaseheath Zoo)

Enclosure design for a meerkat enclosure
 (Taken by author at Reaseheath Zoo)

Colobus Monkey enclosure design
(Taken by author at Colchester Zoo)

Although some of the perks of being a zookeeper is the fact you can get so close to the animals (dangerous animals as well as small animals), you get closer than the public does at a zoo but there are health and safety precautions of course!! 

So as you can see, a zookeeper does not just "hug" animals all day everyday! We do many other duties that educate people, research and conserve these species, also taking care and responsibility for our animals, making sure our animals have a high standard welfare!

(Author unknown)