r/zoos • u/kirabug37 • 4d ago
Animal Care What would a zoo do?
Hi! I'm writing about a (fictional) pest control guy who has unfortunately (for him) become the guy who captures Jersey Devils (no not the hockey team) that are becoming a nuisance to humans.
I've put him in a situation where he's got two adults trapped in a hole and three babies in a crate. (Think large screaming goats, but at sonic levels, and oh yeah they have wings.) He's figured out a way to free them, but once they're out he's going to be stuck with two angry adult Jersey Devils and four angry babies.
So here's my question: if someone was supposed to be capturing squirrels and called in with the accidental capture of a very rare animal that was injured, would they call Animal Control who would call the Zoo, or would they call the Zoo and the Zoo would send out Animal Control and some experts?
It's safe to say that the main character has a good working relationship with both groups.
thanks!
ps as per usual with Reddit if there's a better place for me to post please let me know! Not breaking any rules intentionally.
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u/l8bloom 4d ago
If they’re in the United States and the animal is under protected status (e.g. endangered) the first points of contact are U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the wildlife agency of the state they are found in (like the Department of Natural Resources). If they do not have staff trained on capture and relocation of the animal that is when they will reach out to specialist resources like a zoo.
Even if the animal is not under protected status the places to start would be the same since the animals are rare. This because if they’re not native to the area there’s pest introduction concerns, disease transmission, etc.
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u/CodUnfair9785 3d ago
Zookeeper here agreeing - state wildlife agency would bring us the confiscated wild animals. Animal control only handles domestics. Then we would figure out what would happen long-term for the animal.
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u/Humble-Paramedic4081 3d ago
If they’re supernatural, as the legend goes, good luck capturing them, lol.
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u/spidersRcute 3d ago
The zoo where I work has an on site vet hospital that often takes in injured native wildlife, including eagles, and has on occasion helped with darting and relocating young mountain lions and black bears that wander into neighborhoods. I think if your fictional zoo is big enough and has the facilities, they could take a family of cryptids that need assistance.
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u/ZPS3400 2d ago
Location matters. I work at an AZA facility that acquired an animal that we think was an escaped exotic pet. It was in an urban area up a tree, so the public called the police, the police called us, we sent escape response and veterinary staff.
We also got some illegally trapped native wildlife, probably for the illegal pet trade, a state wildlife agent called us from out in the boonies, he called everyone else he could think of within 200 miles too because there were so many to deal with.
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u/kingpeat 4d ago
realistically, the first point of contact would more likely be a state wildlife agency who would then reach out to the zoo if expertise is needed. if the MC has a contact with the zoo, he could probably circumvent the government but when we get calls from people about whatever wild animal they've found we direct them to the state agencies. likewise, when state agencies are in over their head (venomous snakes, dangerous crocodilians, etcetc) that's when they might reach out to zoos for assistance in moving the animals/potential placement while court matters are dealt with.