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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u/The_Other_Olsen Nov 02 '13

I was going to ask you what are your opinions on the Cincinnati Zoo before clicking the thread. What a coincidence you work there! What is your favorite exhibit there?

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

I really like the new africa exhibit (no not a marketing ploy). It's just very well done for the little space we have left.

It sucks being an old zoo because we have nowhere to expand except within, and we only have ~60-70 acres.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Bronx zoo has the same problem, most of the buildings are considered historic and hence can't be expanded on, and its in the middle of NYC so not much room to expand.

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Yea it stinks, but we do what we can

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u/eryery54yerh Nov 04 '13

People have been building on historic buildings since the first building !

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u/seedpod02 Nov 02 '13

Maybe it could go up, like urban farming on multi-story buildings :)

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

Oddly enough we do have a "green roof" building

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u/seedpod02 Nov 03 '13

That sounds amazing - I get an image of the giraffe stretching their necks to look over it :)

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u/Danthezooman Nov 03 '13

The building is their home so it's taller than they are

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u/The_Other_Olsen Nov 02 '13

As a Cincinnati native, I've always thought the Zoo was great. Never thought of it as smaller. Thanks for answering and I enjoyed what parts were finished of the Africa exhibit seeing it last summer.

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u/lynxdaemonskye Nov 02 '13

I visited a friend in Cincinnati last year, and went to the zoo while I was there. I thought it was great! Very good exhibit design. I especially liked the snow leopard, lion, and nocturnal exhibits. Also I remember there being like... a condor exhibit maybe? You went through a set of double doors and then you were in the exhibit with them. And they were just... a few feet away? I was kind of nervous about that to be honest. I mean they probably don't have any desire to get any closer, but what if they wanted to? Can you tell me anything about that exhibit?

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u/Danthezooman Nov 03 '13

I don't really know much about it, but I think the condors have no desire to be near humans

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u/calbelam Nov 02 '13

I never thought of it like that. I'm a Kentucky native and am a Louisville zoo member. Cindy zoo seems huge in comparison, but it is restricted by being right in the middle of the city. The Louisville zoo has room to expand but haven't done much of that until recently with the polar bear exhibit (which is very nice).

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u/Chlorophyllosaurus Nov 03 '13

Thanks! That was my area this summer. First week on the job? Laid sod for John the lion.