Career as a Zookeeper

There are a great many jobs involving the care of zoo animals. These include: Zoo Keepers, Wildlife Rangers, Zoologists, Habitat Designers, Curators, Zoo Vet Assistants, Zoo Horticulturists, Education Officers, Presenters, Wildlife Park Keepers etc.

This zookeeper qualification has been designed in consultation with employers, to enhance career and employment prospects working in zoos and safari parks. There is a strong emphasis on the welfare of animals in captivity and the essential environmental enrichment requirements. This zookeeper qualification  explores how to put animal welfare as a priority whilst allowing for clear management techniques and the publics’ enjoyment of the zoo. There are a wide range of wild animals housed in zoos, ranging from reptiles, big cats, and endangered species, including rhinos, primates, carnivores and many more. This course will give you a thorough basic knowledge and understanding of how to look after these amazing animals in captivity and how to conserve them for the future.

Learn about zoo animal care, history of zoos, animal behaviour, animal classification, captive environmental enrichment & stress reduction,  animal welfare in zoos, wildlife conservation, record keeping, zoo legislation, zoo habitat design, nutrition & feeding animals in captivity, animal handling and more!

Enrichment for Animals in Captivity

There is a multitude of variables that determine whether a species will respond well or otherwise to captivity. Size of accommodation is one aspect and this is probably the most important consideration for the physical, emotional and mental well-being of all the zoo animals.  Birds kept in captivity rarely have the opportunity to fly to their full extent unless kept in multi-species aviaries. To analyse enclosure designs, we need to consider the species that will be housed within a given enclosure and the management of the enclosures including what parts of the design match species’ needs and what areas match the  needs of management.

All wild animals in captive situations will, at some point, need to be handled, transported, treated and restrained. These situations will require special practices. Animals may require moving from one enclosure or collection to another, they may have escaped and need capturing or they may need routine or non-routine veterinary attention. It may also be a requirement to isolate animals, possibly for quarantine purposes and therefore animals may need to be handled, restrained and transported to an isolation enclosure at some point in their captive lives.

The methods of handling and restraint differ greatly depending on the species, especially its size and temperament. Safety of the handler and the animal are paramount at all times and the need for handling and/or restraint should always be carefully considered.

It is important to note that handling and restraining wild animal species is a much more complex and stressful process as opposed to handling domestic companion animals. Wild animals are far more susceptible to stress and injury than domestic species, particularly during capture, handling, restraint and transportation. Even apparent simple procedures such as blood collection or clinical examination can significantly jeopardise the health and welfare of a wild animal. It is for this reason that the methods of handling and restraining wild animals need to be fully understood and appreciated prior to these methods occurring.

More information – here