Life as a Zookeeper
Posted at 9:42 am October 10, 2008 by Madalyn
Do you think you have what it takes to be a zookeeper?
A zookeeper’s day starts bright and early by coming into the San Diego Zoo and checking on the animals to make sure they are doing fine. Each animal has a specific diet that they have, so the zookeepers have to make sure that the animals are given the right diet. During the day, animals are put on exhibit for the public to see. Another part of a zookeeper’s job is to record how the animals are doing. This is so they can make sure the animals are doing fine, growing, and staying healthy. A zookeeper’s day does not end until all tasks are complete and the animals are doing well.
“You really have to love animals,” said Clint Lusardi as he was holding Hari, a meerkat he had raised by hand since it was little, pictured at left. Clint is a graduate from Moorpark College in Moorpark, California, where he studied to become a zookeeper.
In school he learned all of the skills necessary to become a zookeeper, such as feeding the animals, training them, monitoring them, and recording important data about the animals that he looked after.
We high school interns were fortunate enough to touch Hari, the meerkat Clint was holding. Meerkats are pretty vicious animals, so being able to touch one was definitely something not everyone gets to do! During the time of the interview, Clint also brought out a tamandua named Tipu, pictured at right, which is similar to anteaters. I found it very funny when Tipu was licking a packet of honey, enjoying every drop! Whenever Clint would put Tipu onto a table, he would walk down and search for food on the ground, then Clint would carry him back onto the table, and the process would happen all over again.
Being a zookeeper can be very rewarding. Sometimes the Children’s Zoo keepers bring animals to hospitals for children that are not able to come to the Zoo; this lets the Zoo come to them.
Clint told us that one day he was at a shopping mall and a little boy recognized him as a zookeeper. The little boy came up to him and told him everything he learned about porcupines from a previous presentation that Clint did. This is one of the things that Clint really loves about his job: that he can teach and inspire kids to take action when it comes to conserving endangered animals and wildlife.
If you ever think about becoming a zookeeper, Clint says to get involved with animals as soon as possible, volunteer a lot, and do it for the love of the animals.
Madalyn is a high school intern at the San Diego Zoo.
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October 10th, 2008 at 11:07 am
thanks Madalyn for your interesting post. I wish that I had gone into zoology when I was a young girl!
unfortunately, I didn’t know what I wanted back then, and now am too old! you are lucky and smart enough to know what you want to do with your lives at your tender ages! good for you!!!!!!! I wish you and all the other high school interns all the luck in the world!
congrats. to you c lint for graduating and becoming a zoo keeper. how long have you been a zoo keeper now? it must not be too long, as your picture shows a very young, good looking young man! I’m also a brown noser too! keep us informed on all your new experiences. how long do you have to go to school to become a zoo keeper? how many keepers at the zoo anyway?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks, Madalyn, for your interview and Nancy for your response. I have been here at the San Diego Zoo for 5 years but have been in the animal care industry for 17 years–wow, I guess I just dated myself. Moorpark College offers a 2-year AS degree, but I was taking about 21 units a semester, so well over full time.
I am not sure how many keepers we have at the Zoo. I will have to look that one up for you.
October 12th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Wonderful post Madalyn!! Congratulations on your choice to adventure into the studies of wildlife enrichment and ecology within our zoos. Sounds like you have had a wonderful experience. I hope you continue to research and study in this area.
My daughter did the same her senior year in High School. She was granted a ‘live away from home’ internship at the small Henson-Robinson Zoo in our state. From her internship she reinforced a life long love of animals (although penguins and African dogs remain her favorites!!!) and a dedication to her now college studies that no traditional classroom curriculum could have provided. (She has since done research, education, rehab, banding, ear tagging, DNR counts, etc…)
You rock, Madalyn. Keep growing and learning. Clint sounds like a great mentor. Thank you SDZOO for providing the internships.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Interesting!
October 17th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Wonderful post, Madalyn. I enjoyed your writing, as well as the subject. Keep up the good work!
October 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am
I love visiting the San Diego zoo and have wondered what it would be like to be a zookeeper there, so I enjoyed your informative glimpse behind the scenes Madalyn. It’s great to know zookeepers like Clint continue to enjoy working with the animals.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Zoo animals are in wonderful safe and caring hands from the tone of this blog. Zoo keepers are very dedicated. This is a fact I am only too well aware of when visiting my local zoo in Adelaide South Australia. I love hearing about San Diego Zoo.
October 28th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I may only be in high school and in 10th grade but i do know that i want to be a zookeeper. I love animals. Any kind of information would be helpfull. Thanks. If you don’t mind, i have some questions for you. What kind of college do you have to get in to? How many years? What kind of internship should i get into?
Thanks.
Moderator’s note: You’ll find great information about preparing for a career as a keeper here: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/kids/readaboutit_keeper.html
March 6th, 2009 at 9:01 am
i need to get an interview with a zoo keeper some how i was curious if anyone would care to help me? it is for an AVID career project.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:23 am
When I was little I would chase birds around and today I love animals. I have planned to be a zookeeper for years and I still love animals so much. I have a bunch of animal books. I had a leopard gecko a while ago and man do I love reptiles. Snakes are extremely awsome to me I love the way the skin feels on the snake. Animals are awsome!