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London Zoo's history All About Zoo Keepers:
A career as a Zoo Keeper You will need to be reasonably fit and healthy as the work is often physically demanding, and you need to be prepared to work long hours and regular weekends. Keepers must also enjoy working with people as they frequently meet visitors in the course of their day's work and have to answer their questions. Keepers may also be required to take part in public presentations on animal matters. Each Keeper is attached to one of the animal houses or sections, but may move to another if the need arises or to gain wider experience with a different group of animals. A typical day The day starts early at 8am when a Keeper's first task is to check that all the animals are well. The core of a Keeper's job then involves the preparation of food, feeding the animals and cleaning out enclosures and sleeping dens. Supplies of food and bedding need to be ordered from the storehouse. For the rest of the day, Keepers will be busy designing enclosures and observing their animals, from which they will compile the daily record of births, illnesses and any special care than an animal might need. Occasionally an animal needs transporting to the Zoo hospital or to another zoo as part of a British, European or international breeding programme. Much of a Keeper's work is mucky and reptitive, but the rewards are great - a successful mating, watching eggs hatch, seeing young animals grow, nursing a sick animal through illness or achieving success in breeding an endangered species in captivity for the first time. Training to be a Keeper After completing a six-month probationary period, new Keepers begin a two-year correspondence course leading to the City & Guilds Certificate in Animal Management. This involves studying nutrition, enclosure design, hygiene and safety, breeding, transporting animals, diseases and the role of zoos in conservation, education and research. Practical skills in animal care, good observation and record keeping are very important; a good Keeper will know when an animal is off-colour, when it is in oestrus (on heat) or if it has problems rearing its young. How to become a Keeper, and qualifications needed Keepers are usually recruited initially for the summer season only (Easter-September). The best of these temporary keepers may be retained for permanent employment if there are vacancies. These are usually advertised in the Evening Standard and specialist magazines such as Cage and Aviary Birds or Aquarist and Pond Keeper in late February, with interviews shortly afterwards. Alternatively, you can apply in writing by sending a covering letter and CV, at about the same time, to: Human Resources ZSL Regent's Park London NW1 4RY To apply for a post as a Zoo Keeper with the Zoological Society of London, for work in either London Zoo or Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, you will need to meet the following requirements:
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