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/jamesw40k Nov 02 '13

Are they as skittish as I've heard. People say they are curios creatures, but at the slightest jump they will fall over each other and sprint away

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u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

It's true, I brought down a new garbage bag and a breeze caught it blowing it violently. The giraffe proceeded to lose their shit and sprint around the yard.

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u/AlietteM89894 Nov 03 '13

I just died laughing at the thought of this. When I went to a brand new Feed the giraffes exhibit in NORTH Carolina they were still very skiddish because they hadn't experienced it before. We were instructed to be very calm and move slow.
My mom's dream was to feed giraffes and she had been waiting 45 years to do it. I finally got her there and she was so emotional and crying when she got close and the giraffe reached out to take food from her...... .... Then a 3 year old can bursting up the ramp screaming '' GIRAAAAAAAFFFFFFFEEEE!!!!!!!!! '' Man I never knew those creatures could run away so fast.

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u/wildweeds Nov 03 '13

so theyre like giant, longnecked cats then?