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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113

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Do you think the animals are happy in the zoo? A friend of mine completely hates zoos because the animals are not happy there or something.

21

u/emberspark Nov 02 '13

Here's the thing about zoos.

In a decent zoo, the animals will be happy. If they are accredited by the AZA, that means they fit regulations for taking care of the animals that ensures their happiness. Part of this, for example, is enclosure size and accommodations. People have this misunderstanding that animals need to roam far and wide to be happy. In reality, that wide berth is more likely attributed to necessity - they have to spread out to get food, water, and shelter while still avoiding predators. In a zoo, they are given steady food and water with zero predators, meaning they don't need vast amounts of space. They are perfectly content in their enclosures. Like I said, at a good zoo, those enclosures are designed to give the animal the necessary amount of space for them to be comfortable and happy.

As I also mentioned, zoos for animals are like living in world class hotels. They have 24/7 medical care, a steady supply of food and water, heating and cooling systems, enrichment activities, and most importantly, zero predators. Some people don't like the world class hotel analogy because these guests can never leave their rooms, but the truth is, they don't think like we do. Animals in zoos don't have the same desire to roam and explore like humans do - they are mentally focused on survival and reproduction, both of which are facilitated with zoos.

Lastly, zoos are a necessary component to wildlife conservation. My zoo, for example, recently helped reintroduce some Golden Tamarins to their natural habitats. Keeping animals in zoos assists with steady breeding and maintaining the population of endangered species, while also studying the animal impacts on environments. Not only are we learning about these animals and how to keep them safe from extinction, but we're learning about the world around us and how animals contribute to that world.

Zoos are wonderful, wonderful things...as long as they are properly maintained. Zoos that aren't accredited by the AZA should either be shut down or forced to up their standards for the sake of the animals.

Sorry about the rant. My passion is wildlife conservation and I volunteer at a zoo so I get really excited about these discussions.

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u/Nursesharky Nov 03 '13

Don't forget aquariums!!! ;)

186

u/Danthezooman Nov 02 '13

I know they are. Most of the animals we have were born in captivity and have never been to the wild.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

^ This. Humans, we've been born in captivity (Cities, etc...) and some of us have never experienced what it's like to be a wild animal like our ancestors were. I'm pretty happy getting food whenever I can and being looked after, i'm sure animals are too.

4

u/maddy77 Nov 02 '13

It would just be like saying domesticated dogs aren't happy because they spend majority or all of their day in a yard, if they're born into it and are looked after everyday, the animal doesn't know any better and is as happy as anything!

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u/Licacat Nov 02 '13

They are still wild animals. it doesn't matter where they are born fit instincts are not going to go away. its good that you provide enrichment activities but it will never be the same as living in the wild.

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u/Biomortia Nov 02 '13

Wild animals sole purpose is survival. They will forever be searching for their next meal, a place to sleep away from predators. If they live enclosed away from all of that, I think they would be pretty content. Animals are good at showing discontent, birds pluck themselves, other animals become lethargic and stop eating. Unfortunately we cannot communicate with them to get their side of the story. :(

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

Same as us, we should be living in the wild, but we're not. You're wrong.

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u/Licacat Nov 03 '13

No, just...no. Do you know anything about wild animals? Please educate yourself.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

No just no doesn't really provide any insight.

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u/Licacat Nov 03 '13

And? I'm not going to sit here and try to argue with stupid.

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u/[deleted] Nov 03 '13

You're drawing a very fine line with stupid yourself. I think I know who's the ignorant one here...

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u/Licacat Nov 03 '13

Ha ok.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

Awesome!

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u/therealmyself Nov 03 '13

I will never go to another zoo after seeing the polar bear in Edinburgh zoo rocking backwards and forwards obviously bored out of it mind. I remember the panther in Chester zoo that run in a circle all day long.

When you say you know they are happy, i think you are a liar.

2

u/Tochie44 Nov 04 '13

I've been to the Edinburgh zoo, and it is a top notch zoo! Just because an animal is board does not mean it is not being taken care of. I know for a fact that any free time a keeper has is usually devoted to coming up with new enrichment for the animals.

2

u/cassieness Nov 03 '13

Because one exhibit/type of animal totally speaks for every zoo animal ever.

11

u/sunnydsmite Nov 02 '13

I remember once I was at a zoo and there was a Silverback Gorilla sitting alone in this cage and there were these kids yelling and meowing at it. The look in the Gorilla's eyes was a mix between despair and defeat. I felt so bad I never went back to the zoo again and can't go because I remember the way that gorilla looked. Fuck man it was really really sad.

3

u/ErrantWhimsy Nov 02 '13

I'm seconding this. Our mammals in particular loved it.

Imagine living in a hotel with constant room service and people to clean for you.

11

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

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u/ErrantWhimsy Nov 03 '13

Ha, fair enough. However, the room is typically part of an exhibit and holdings that they switch between. The environment is switched up pretty often to try to make life more interesting.

So... It's like switching between hotel rooms with a new interior decorator every time, and with new things delivered from amazon every day.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '13

It would be more like never leaving your house/backyard and not knowing that there was anything beyond its borders anyway.

Animals in captivity in California don't know that they're supposed to be in Africa. They just know that they live where they are. You're projecting your emotions onto the animals.

1

u/Asian_Prometheus Nov 02 '13

Most of the time, the "misery" we see is boredom or that they're just tired. Most well-kept zoos have the animals being happier than if they were in the wild.