This week was an especially great week at the Greenville Zoo. First, I got to start off my morning in Africa, which if you haven't guessed by now, is my favorite area of the zoo to work in. I'm currently doing the tortoises all by myself and doing the entire lions enclosure alone too. I have so much autonomy in Africa and I feel confident that I can do the jobs asked of me. I also got to help with Kiko's training session again, as well as help weigh the other two giraffes. Additionally, I got to watch another lion training session, which was really fun!
After my morning in Africa I got to go to Asia for the first time! I was excited to go to a new place in the zoo and learn about different animals and their care. I started off by cleaning the orangutan den, and then went in to help clean the red panda enclosure. Asia is really cool, because not only are there orangutans, leopards, red pandas, horn bills, Prevost squirrels, and gibbons, but you can actually go into the enclosure with the squirrels, horn bills, and red pandas! I loved getting up close and personal with the animals. I fed the hornbills grapes right from my hand and when I was putting the squirrel's diet in their enclosure, the one jumped on top of me! In my afternoon at Asia, I got to watch an orangutan training session (they're super smart) and learn about many different species from the keeper, Ben, I was working with. We talked about the leopards and how fast and aggressive they are, and about how the male orangs don't develop their cheekpads until after they are the only dominant male in the area (thus, Bob, the youngest orang in the family, won't develop his cheekpads and grow in size until he is put in another zoo where he can be the dominant male). It was a really interesting afternoon and I especially enjoyed my conversations with Ben and learning more about the animals.
This afternoon was also the last weekend of Boo in the Zoo, so for the majority of my afternoon, I helped by setting up candy stations, assisting volunteers, and watching hundreds of little kids walk around the zoo in costume. The keepers and I played a game of who could spot the most Elsa dresses from the movie Frozen, which was a particularly amusing way to pass the time. I feel like each week I get closer to the keepers and I'm enjoying my conversations and time with them. It's great to feel more connected now, and I'm looking forward to further building these connections.
All in all, it was another great day at the zoo. I've been learning so much and having a great time in the process, so really, I can't ask for anything more than that! Stay tuned for more tails from a zoo intern next week!
Monday, October 27, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Boo in the Zoo
This week was definitely an interesting one since the Greenville Zoo is in the middle of putting on its annual Halloween event: Boo in the Zoo. To summarize, Boo in the Zoo is an event where people buy special tickets to come trick or treating in the zoo. Little kids wear costumes, there are decorations all throughout the landscape, and there are volunteers and staff members handing out candy and special treats along the way. And, to make it extra special, the animals stay out later so that you can trick or treat while watching some animals!
Because Boo in the Zoo was this week, the schedule for the day was a little different. I started out my morning in Africa, where I did the tortoise and lion exhibits by myself, and then proceeded to help with the giraffe yarn and barn. Around 10, I left Africa and headed to Primate Row, where I worked on my timing with cleaning. Dindy, the keeper, challenged me to finish cleaning the spider monkey exhibit in 30-40 minutes, and I'm pleased to say that I finished at 35 minutes! Now that I've been at primate row a few times, I'm getting more comfortable with the cleaning and tasks and I'm learning new tricks that make cleaning quicker and easier! After finishing primates, I went up to the education building where I helped finish cleaning some bird enclosures. The highlight of the day was for sure when I got to hold the ball python while the keeper cleaned his enclosure! As I've been saying, I love any animal contact I can get, so holding the snake for a few minutes made me very happy.
After lunch, it was time to shut down the zoo and then get ready to reopen for Boo in the Zoo. The zoo closed at 3 today, so we had to get everyone out, clear the entire zoo, set up the tables, candy, etc. for the event, AND feed the animals their PM diets. It was a crazy hour, but we got it all done and at 4:00 sharp the gates opened and tons of children and their families rushed into the zoo to get candy and visit the animals. It was cute to watch all of the little kids, and it was crazy to see a whole other side of the zoo away from animal care. I found myself using my "Disney" skills, as I kept two-finger pointing to the guests, calling the little girls princesses, and being attentive to the needs of everyone. I guess it's just instinctual for me now to turn on my customer service skills when around the public, and hey, I'm not complaining!
All in all, it was a good day. I didn't get as much animal contact because of the weird schedule, but Boo in the Zoo was fun. It's interesting to watch how everyone from the zoo works together. The keepers, education team, sales team, concession team, and maintenance team all worked together to get the zoo set up for the special event, and I think that's something you wouldn't see in many other zoos. I like how the Greenville Zoo staff all know and care for one another and help each other out whenever possible. I'm definitely feeling more at home there and am more comfortable around the staff, animals, and the zoo itself.
For more info on Boo in the Zoo: http://www.greenvillezoo.com/pages/events.aspx
Because Boo in the Zoo was this week, the schedule for the day was a little different. I started out my morning in Africa, where I did the tortoise and lion exhibits by myself, and then proceeded to help with the giraffe yarn and barn. Around 10, I left Africa and headed to Primate Row, where I worked on my timing with cleaning. Dindy, the keeper, challenged me to finish cleaning the spider monkey exhibit in 30-40 minutes, and I'm pleased to say that I finished at 35 minutes! Now that I've been at primate row a few times, I'm getting more comfortable with the cleaning and tasks and I'm learning new tricks that make cleaning quicker and easier! After finishing primates, I went up to the education building where I helped finish cleaning some bird enclosures. The highlight of the day was for sure when I got to hold the ball python while the keeper cleaned his enclosure! As I've been saying, I love any animal contact I can get, so holding the snake for a few minutes made me very happy.
After lunch, it was time to shut down the zoo and then get ready to reopen for Boo in the Zoo. The zoo closed at 3 today, so we had to get everyone out, clear the entire zoo, set up the tables, candy, etc. for the event, AND feed the animals their PM diets. It was a crazy hour, but we got it all done and at 4:00 sharp the gates opened and tons of children and their families rushed into the zoo to get candy and visit the animals. It was cute to watch all of the little kids, and it was crazy to see a whole other side of the zoo away from animal care. I found myself using my "Disney" skills, as I kept two-finger pointing to the guests, calling the little girls princesses, and being attentive to the needs of everyone. I guess it's just instinctual for me now to turn on my customer service skills when around the public, and hey, I'm not complaining!
All in all, it was a good day. I didn't get as much animal contact because of the weird schedule, but Boo in the Zoo was fun. It's interesting to watch how everyone from the zoo works together. The keepers, education team, sales team, concession team, and maintenance team all worked together to get the zoo set up for the special event, and I think that's something you wouldn't see in many other zoos. I like how the Greenville Zoo staff all know and care for one another and help each other out whenever possible. I'm definitely feeling more at home there and am more comfortable around the staff, animals, and the zoo itself.
For more info on Boo in the Zoo: http://www.greenvillezoo.com/pages/events.aspx
Sunday, October 12, 2014
"Floating" around the Zoo
Despite the storms, rain, and cold weather, today was one of my better days at the zoo. I actually ended up "floating" around the zoo, meaning I didn't stay in only one area, but helped wherever was needed. I started my morning in Africa (which I love more and more every time), and raked the giraffe yard and took care of the tortoises (by myself, again!). Then, it was time for a training session with Kiko, the giraffe, which I got to be a huge part of today! Now, Kiko's training is focused on getting him more and more ready for any medical procedures that may need to be done. My role in the training session was to keep his attention by feeding him biscuits! He loved them, and I loved being able to play such an active role in his training session! I also was able to witness a lion training session this morning which was really cool, because I love the lions and their crazy personalities! I love the fact that I'm getting to watch and experience so many training opportunities because training is something I'm finding myself very interested in and passionate about. It's so important to train animals in the zoo because it makes it much easier and safer to perform medical procedures!
After Kiko's training session, I headed down to primate row to help clean some exhibits. I cleaned the colobus monkey exhibit and even got complimented on what a good job I did. I still need to work on how quickly I can clean, because now I'm at the point where I can either do a good, thorough job, or a decent, quick job, and I need to be able to do a good, quick job! I'm sure it will come in time and with practice though. After primate row I headed back up to Africa where I finished some cleaning in the giraffe barn and then it was time for lunch already! The morning flew by, which I think goes to show that time does fly if you're having fun!
The afternoon was even more awesome than the morning (which was a great morning!) We did some odd projects like preparing for Boo in the Zoo, which is a Halloween Event that the zoo does every fall. Then, around 2, a group of three students from Wofford University came to the zoo to shoot a photo documentary of a day in the life of a keeper. Luckily for us, we got to show them around the zoo and tell them what we do every day. It was a really awesome experience for me too, since I got to witness a orangutan training session and visit the clinic, both of which was my first time doing! And, I got to be in a lot of pictures that I'm sure will end up nicely in some Wofford homework assignment... Anyway, it was an awesome, and really cool afternoon, and I got to share some of my experiences with others, which is really what this whole blog is about anyway!
Finally, to end the day we did some dishes and final cleaning, then I got to go to South America to witness the ocelots being weighed. Unfortunately, they didn't want to cooperate, so we couldn't get their weights, but it was really cool to see them (they're beautiful cats), and I had never been to the South America area before, so it was nice to get to another part of the zoo!
I really enjoyed my day today. The weather was awful and I was soaked and so dirty, but it was probably the best day I've had so far. I love all the responsibility I'm being given and I'm enjoying getting to branch out and do different tasks and learn about different animals and areas of the zoo! Please keep checking back to hear all about my "tails" at the Greenville Zoo!
After Kiko's training session, I headed down to primate row to help clean some exhibits. I cleaned the colobus monkey exhibit and even got complimented on what a good job I did. I still need to work on how quickly I can clean, because now I'm at the point where I can either do a good, thorough job, or a decent, quick job, and I need to be able to do a good, quick job! I'm sure it will come in time and with practice though. After primate row I headed back up to Africa where I finished some cleaning in the giraffe barn and then it was time for lunch already! The morning flew by, which I think goes to show that time does fly if you're having fun!
The afternoon was even more awesome than the morning (which was a great morning!) We did some odd projects like preparing for Boo in the Zoo, which is a Halloween Event that the zoo does every fall. Then, around 2, a group of three students from Wofford University came to the zoo to shoot a photo documentary of a day in the life of a keeper. Luckily for us, we got to show them around the zoo and tell them what we do every day. It was a really awesome experience for me too, since I got to witness a orangutan training session and visit the clinic, both of which was my first time doing! And, I got to be in a lot of pictures that I'm sure will end up nicely in some Wofford homework assignment... Anyway, it was an awesome, and really cool afternoon, and I got to share some of my experiences with others, which is really what this whole blog is about anyway!
Finally, to end the day we did some dishes and final cleaning, then I got to go to South America to witness the ocelots being weighed. Unfortunately, they didn't want to cooperate, so we couldn't get their weights, but it was really cool to see them (they're beautiful cats), and I had never been to the South America area before, so it was nice to get to another part of the zoo!
I really enjoyed my day today. The weather was awful and I was soaked and so dirty, but it was probably the best day I've had so far. I love all the responsibility I'm being given and I'm enjoying getting to branch out and do different tasks and learn about different animals and areas of the zoo! Please keep checking back to hear all about my "tails" at the Greenville Zoo!
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Working in a Zoo: The Good, The Bad, & The Dirty
Instead of giving you a play by play of my day, I decided to make this post about working in the zoo in general, and what kinds of things I have come to expect during my internship thus far. And, don't worry, I'll be sure to squeeze some details about my day in here too!
So, as I'm sure most of you have guessed by now, there are so many good things about being a zoo intern! Helping with training is one of my personal favorites, as well as diet preparation and feeding (mostly because the animals are so excited to see me). I also love the fact that I get to be surrounded by animals all day. It's amazing to be doing something and just look up and see a lion, a spider monkey, or an exotic bird just sitting right next to you. I've also been able to start working on building some connections. I find that I love talking with the keepers, because they are the ones who know all the nitty gritty details about the zookeeping world. They've given me advice as to how to get into the field, what kinds of things I should expect on a daily basis, and the different journeys that landed them jobs at the Greenville Zoo. Just today I was talking to one of the keepers about the differences between being a specific animal keeper (ex: just a giraffe keeper) versus working with a variety of animals. I learned that it's basically personal preference; neither is more "advanced" than the other and one will not affect the ability for you to get a job somewhere else. Mostly, the larger zoos have more staff and therefore more individualized keeping, and the smaller zoos have keepers who care for a variety of animals. I also really enjoy being outside (when it's decent weather) and getting some fresh air. Today I had to opportunity to do some animal observations with the spider monkeys. One of the monkeys (Jasmine) needed a fecal sample done to test for a parasite, so I was on "poop patrol" and basically had to watch her until she pooped, at which point I had to call the vet tech and keeper to come down so we could retrieve the sample. Glamorous? No. Fun? Yes - who wouldn't want to spend a half hour watching spider monkeys run around and play??
Okay, so yes, obviously there are some not so great things about being a zoo intern. In my opinion, the positives significantly outweigh the negatives, but I don't want to sugarcoat the job for you either: it's a lot of hard work. You're working outside almost all day, no matter what the weather is like: rain, sun, snow, ice, heavy winds - you name it, zookeepers have to work in it. Today was the first chilly day since I started my internship and it definitely was a rude awakening for me. I'm going to have to start layering before heading to work! Secondly, there's not a lot of guidance when it comes to zookeeping. You have to learn a lot of the skills yourself, and you have to pace yourself when it comes to getting all of your work done. There's a lot of heavy lifting involved and a lot of climbing on unsteady terrain and through the woods, bushes, etc. It's definitely not your every day office job!
Finally, there's the dirty, and by the dirty, I mean the cleaning. I spend the majority of my days at the zoo cleaning. I clean exhibits, dens, dishes, crates, walls - you name it, I clean it. And during this cleaning, it's not just a little scrubbing, it's getting lots and lots of poop and saliva and chewed up food and all of that fun stuff away from the animals and their belongings. So yes, I do clean up poop, and I do it quite frequently! I really don't mind the cleaning too much. Obviously, it's not my favorite part of the job, but to get through it I just think of how much the animals appreciate getting a nice clean enclosure every day!
Of course, I have to end with another positive note about my internship, and that is the ability to work with a variety of animals. This week I worked on primate row again, which obviously was with the primates, but I also got to help with some education building animals today too! I helped clean the enclosures and feed the armadillo, turtles, and sun conures (birds). I also got to watch the vet tech do some routine nail and feather clipping, which was really cool. Honestly, the best part of the internship thus far is that every day is entirely different. There's one thing that the zoo keeping field guarantees, and that is that you will never be bored! There's always tons to do and the animals are always presenting new challenges. It's a lot of hard work to care for so many animals, but I'm finding it to be very rewarding.
I'll end this post with an amusing picture that's actually hanging in the keeper room. It helps put things into perspective: yes, we do awesome things, but we actually do a lot of dirty work too!
So, as I'm sure most of you have guessed by now, there are so many good things about being a zoo intern! Helping with training is one of my personal favorites, as well as diet preparation and feeding (mostly because the animals are so excited to see me). I also love the fact that I get to be surrounded by animals all day. It's amazing to be doing something and just look up and see a lion, a spider monkey, or an exotic bird just sitting right next to you. I've also been able to start working on building some connections. I find that I love talking with the keepers, because they are the ones who know all the nitty gritty details about the zookeeping world. They've given me advice as to how to get into the field, what kinds of things I should expect on a daily basis, and the different journeys that landed them jobs at the Greenville Zoo. Just today I was talking to one of the keepers about the differences between being a specific animal keeper (ex: just a giraffe keeper) versus working with a variety of animals. I learned that it's basically personal preference; neither is more "advanced" than the other and one will not affect the ability for you to get a job somewhere else. Mostly, the larger zoos have more staff and therefore more individualized keeping, and the smaller zoos have keepers who care for a variety of animals. I also really enjoy being outside (when it's decent weather) and getting some fresh air. Today I had to opportunity to do some animal observations with the spider monkeys. One of the monkeys (Jasmine) needed a fecal sample done to test for a parasite, so I was on "poop patrol" and basically had to watch her until she pooped, at which point I had to call the vet tech and keeper to come down so we could retrieve the sample. Glamorous? No. Fun? Yes - who wouldn't want to spend a half hour watching spider monkeys run around and play??
Okay, so yes, obviously there are some not so great things about being a zoo intern. In my opinion, the positives significantly outweigh the negatives, but I don't want to sugarcoat the job for you either: it's a lot of hard work. You're working outside almost all day, no matter what the weather is like: rain, sun, snow, ice, heavy winds - you name it, zookeepers have to work in it. Today was the first chilly day since I started my internship and it definitely was a rude awakening for me. I'm going to have to start layering before heading to work! Secondly, there's not a lot of guidance when it comes to zookeeping. You have to learn a lot of the skills yourself, and you have to pace yourself when it comes to getting all of your work done. There's a lot of heavy lifting involved and a lot of climbing on unsteady terrain and through the woods, bushes, etc. It's definitely not your every day office job!
Finally, there's the dirty, and by the dirty, I mean the cleaning. I spend the majority of my days at the zoo cleaning. I clean exhibits, dens, dishes, crates, walls - you name it, I clean it. And during this cleaning, it's not just a little scrubbing, it's getting lots and lots of poop and saliva and chewed up food and all of that fun stuff away from the animals and their belongings. So yes, I do clean up poop, and I do it quite frequently! I really don't mind the cleaning too much. Obviously, it's not my favorite part of the job, but to get through it I just think of how much the animals appreciate getting a nice clean enclosure every day!
Of course, I have to end with another positive note about my internship, and that is the ability to work with a variety of animals. This week I worked on primate row again, which obviously was with the primates, but I also got to help with some education building animals today too! I helped clean the enclosures and feed the armadillo, turtles, and sun conures (birds). I also got to watch the vet tech do some routine nail and feather clipping, which was really cool. Honestly, the best part of the internship thus far is that every day is entirely different. There's one thing that the zoo keeping field guarantees, and that is that you will never be bored! There's always tons to do and the animals are always presenting new challenges. It's a lot of hard work to care for so many animals, but I'm finding it to be very rewarding.
I'll end this post with an amusing picture that's actually hanging in the keeper room. It helps put things into perspective: yes, we do awesome things, but we actually do a lot of dirty work too!
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