A Typical Day in the Life of a Zookeeper

(NOTE: These photos are all from Cat Tales taken during "typical days". There are never two days alike in the profession of Zookeeping. The examples shown may or may not occur during your year in the program. Your being allowed direct contact with the animals at the zoo is determined by your performance and dedication as a student.)

The day starts early (between 7am and 8am depending on the time of year and weather conditions).

Basic preparations ranging from checking the food for the day to caring for the smaller non-exhibit animals.

A brief staff meeting follows next to cover any specific health or safety issues for the day.

After the meeting, everyone breaks-up into cleaning teams and begin cleaning the major exhibits.

When 10am arrives, the zoo is opened and everyone begins the shifts scheduled for that hour.

These could include one of the following: Ticket Booth, Gift Shop,

Tour Guide,

Food Prep,

Animal Observation,

or General Duties which cover a wide area of daily zoo operations.

Some times the day will run into night if the project demands,

but no matter how long the days are, the rewards are worth it in the big picture.

Time for a nap then we're ready for the next day.

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