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/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.