Zookeeper and Animal Trainer

Zookeeper and Animal Trainer

LisaAnnOKane

Tampa, FL

Female, 32

During my zookeeping and environmental education career, I have interacted and worked with a variety of animals, including brown bears, wolverines, red foxes, moose, camels, mountain goats, dolphins, sea lions, raccoons, porcupines, snakes, raptors and ravens. I am also a young adult author, and my debut novel ESSENCE was released in June 2014 by Strange Chemistry Books. Ask me anything!

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Last Answer on September 18, 2015

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Hi, I m wondering what you believe is the most effective way to develop a connection or relationship with the animals you keep. What is the first step and how to you evolve this over time?

Asked by Jill N about 11 years ago

Hi Jill! This is a great question. I think the first step is definitely establishing realistic expectations for each particular animal. (A domestic camel, for example, is going to initially be much more apt for enthusiastic interactions than a mountain goat.) You can research other zoo's behavioral plans to see what worked and what didn't work for them, and you can also do your homework and take a look at each animal's natural history to get a clue how it will respond to your presence. 

Once you have established a basic plan for your interactions with your new animal, your next step will be to be consistent--and patient! Successful interactions, connections, and relationships vary widely between species and individual animals, and there is no magic number for how quickly or slowly these relationships will develop.

To make things even more complicated, sometimes an animal will NEVER respond to you the way you think it should. In my experience, individual animals have demonstrated preferences for certain keepers versus others in ways that defied logic. Maybe it's your smell, maybe it's the sound of your voice... No matter what you do, some animals just aren't going to connect with you. That's why it's so important to keep an open mind--and to pay strict attention to what your animal is actually telling you, not just what you think it should be telling you.

At the end of the day, it's exciting to witness which ones you connect with versus which ones you really don't. Sometimes, they surprise you!

What happens when an animal doesn't adapt well to a zoo setting?

Thank you for answering our questions! You have helped us a lot!

Asked by Burnett Bulldogs about 11 years ago

Hi again, Bulldogs! It often takes an animal a little while to adjust to its new environment, so zookeepers are very patient. They also take great care to make the environment as "interesting" as possible so the animal has many opportunities for mental and physical stimulation. 

If it seems like an animal isn't responding well to its environment, they will work hard to adapt their behavioral management plans to provide new opportunities for the animal. They may even combine certain species together (if possible) to provide companionship if the animal is the only one of its kind.

If these methods still don't work, zoos may begin to consider transferring the animal to another facility where they think it may be more successful. They won't rest until they find a solution!

Do you ever get to interact with bears or big cats without barriers, and other obstructions or them being on sedatives?

Asked by Kidbear3 almost 10 years ago

Hi Kidbear! I have interacted with orphaned brown bear cubs without barriers or sedatives, but I have never interacted with adult bears or big cats without these safety precautions. All of my facilities have always had strict procedures in place to minimize accidents and injuries, so these types of interactions were never allowed.

What is the equipment needed in an escape of an animal? (PPE, restraining equipment, first aid, portable carriers, van etc).

Asked by Chelsea almost 12 years ago

This obviously varies quite a bit from animal to animal, but our typical tools of the trade are treats, kennels, hand nets of various sizes, animal control nets, mesh nets, poles, squeeze cages, fog horns, fire extinguishers, tranquilizer darts, and even firearms for the most serious circumstances.

What is a female wolf behavior during mating season?

Asked by chris over 11 years ago

Hi Chris! Wolves are interesting mammals, as they are relatively monogamous within their pack structure. Females only go into heat once a year, and this typically lasts a few weeks. During this time, the female and her chosen male will often mate several times, and they will also spend most of their non-mating time together. Once mating season is over, the female wolf will turn much of her attention to her pregnancy--and to preparing a den for her litter's arrival. 

I have a school career fair next week, and I chose to research a zookeeper at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. Can I send you my ten questions that I need for my interview?

Asked by Alexa over 10 years ago

Hi Alexa! I have never worked at Animal Kingdom before, but I can certainly do my best to answer your questions. Please send them to lisaannokane(at)outlook(dot)com, and I will get them back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!

I would love to work as a zookeeper. Most positions I am finding however require 3+ years of experience at a zoo. How can I get that experience if even entry level jobs require it? Does working as a vet assistant at a vet hospital count towards this?

Asked by Andrew almost 12 years ago

Although this sounds like the classic Catch-22, it is actually quite possible to fulfill this requirement if you begin your zoo career by working as an intern. Almost every zoo offers an internship program--most during the summer, some during other seasons--and these internships are often a critical first step in paving your way into a zoo career.

The bad news: most internships are unpaid, and they are almost always full-time, so you may have to work a night job or rely on student loans or your savings for awhile. The good news: your possibilities will expand exponentially once you have completed an internship or two. (Although zoos LOVE to see vet experience, many of them won't even consider you until you have seen what happens "behind the curtain" at their facilities.)

I HIGHLY recommend the Job Listings page provided by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (http://www.aza.org/joblistings/). You can search specifically for internships, and the page is updated almost every day. A goldmine for future zookeepers!