Life as a Zookeeper
Posted at 9:52 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 student at High Tech High in San Diego Zoo.
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