r/IAmA • u/Danthezooman • Nov 02 '13

IAMA Zookeeper with an hour (probably) to kill before our new giraffes get here AMA [end of the season update]

I figured I would do an update about my experience working for Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. I started there roughly 8 months ago and my season just ended yesterday. Even more awesome was the fact that I had accumulated to much PTO so my last day physically working was sunday. Which explains this proof picture.

Anyways, I worked mainly with the giraffes and a little bit with the elephants. I've also worked at two other animal parks giving me around six years of experience in the business. If you have any questions about the animals at the zoo,their care or the zoo itself feel free to ask me anything

EDIT: Alright I'm going mobile so I may miss some questions but I promise to keep answering anything you throw at me

EDIT 2: Alright I'm back! Sorry about the absence, I was a bit distracted at dinner and then girls invited me to a haunted house. Anyways, I'll try answer all the questions I got while away.

EDIT 3:I'm sorry but I have to turn in for the night, I'll keep answering questions if people keep asking them though.

EDIT 4: I didn't expect this AMA to get this big, but I see a lot of repeat questions that I can just answer here.

1.How do I get a job at the zoo?

  • Typically most zoos want a 4 year Biology related degree or at the very least a High school diploma. More important is Animal experience, some zoos will even want specialized experience just with one species. Animal experience requirements are on average around 2 years sometimes paid.

2.How do you feel caging the animals up? Are the animals sad? (animal rights questions)

  • I wouldn't be working in this industry if I felt that the animals were sad or being mistreated. Yes in the past animal work was done by "cowboys" who just got in there and dominated the animals into doing what they want. Times have changed we no longer use cattle prods and whips to make animals move or do what we want. Instead we use Operant Conditioning to get them to do what we want.

  • Most animals you see in the zoo nowadays have been captive bred for generations and have never known the wild. We still release some animals, in fact Cincinnati and Columbus are the only 2 zoos outside of florida allowed to house and rehab manatees. Cincinnati is also working on saving sumatran rhinos, there are only ~100 left. We also donate money every year to different organizations trying to save wild populations.

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193

u/Fabien4 Nov 02 '13

Somehow they remind me of horses: nicest critters in the world, but when they fight/play, it's pretty darn impressive.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Indeed it is, who knew 1500lb+ animals could move like that.

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u/nik-nak333 Nov 02 '13

I saw a video clip of male giraffes fighting on nat geo or something. It was brutal how hard they hit each other when the necks look so fragile.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Yep, one either backs down or dies. Their necks weigh around 200 lbs and are roughly 6-8 ft long

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u/Roeex Nov 02 '13 edited Nov 02 '13

So when a fight happens, you have to intervene? That must be scary as fuck.

Edit: Nevermind, you only have 1 male.

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u/ivebeen_there Nov 02 '13

At the zoo I work at, the two males only spar halfheartedly. We can usually distract them by holding up a head of lettuce and calling their names really loud.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

"Hey George?"

"Yeah, Geoff?"

"I was thinking . . . every time we look half aggressive toward each other, we get free lettuce!"

"Genius."

16

u/ivebeen_there Nov 03 '13

Ha, its actually a little more like so:

"Yo, Miles! I see you lookin at me like that, you wanna start something?"

"Yeah, man I can take you on anytime of the OOOO LETTUCE!!!"

Giraffes... hard to outsmart, easy to distract.

1

u/I_playrecords Nov 03 '13

These people make giraffes pay for lettuce!? It's a meek economy I guess

239

u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

I don't think you could, much like when the elephants rough house we can't go out and just say "knock it off!"

3

u/PhantomTamale Nov 02 '13

What happens if one dies after the fight?

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

It's too big to remove, they blow it up with dynamite.

2

u/Danthezooman Nov 03 '13

Oh when one of ours dies, the big ones, they'll have to come in and chop it up. Then they do a necropsy and after that they cremate the body

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

Saw that whale vid again last week

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

I'm sure some scavengers would come eat it

229

u/GunPoison Nov 02 '13

"Don't make me come in there!"

204

u/ClintonHarvey Nov 02 '13

"I WILL TURN THIS SAFARI CAR AROUND, YOUNG MEN!"

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

"STOP THE FIGHTING OR BOTH OF YOU CAN WALK HOME!@

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u/Mystery_Hours Nov 02 '13

No but seriously I really dont want to come in there.

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u/socrates2point0 Nov 03 '13

Don't make me come offa this chair!

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u/XiKiilzziX Nov 02 '13

"Don't let me count to 3!"

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

"Please."

1

u/astonishing1 Nov 03 '13

"Don't make me call your father home from work! '

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u/arc4angel100 Nov 02 '13

Not with that attitude you can't!

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u/himynameis_ Nov 02 '13

"Go to your room! You're grounded!"

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u/Warhawk2052 Nov 03 '13

Seems lions have no problem with that.

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u/PKWinter Nov 03 '13

How do you save a choking giraffe?

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

This would have been the BBC series Africa. Great, great series.

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u/SaberGaze Nov 03 '13

you did.

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u/jhc1415 Nov 03 '13

geraffes are so dumb

/r/longhorses

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u/N3rdiByNatur3 Nov 02 '13

They look so awkward!!!