Want a job at the local ZOO, where is the best place to start?

Question

im 16 years old

when im older, im going to have a career w/ animals.. so at a zoo, what will i be able to do, or where would i start to work myself up?

Answer 1

The best thing to do is start volunteering at a zoo or animal sanctuary right away. Most zoos are more interested in experience with animals and the ability to work hard than in qualifications - I used to be a zookeeper, and got the job without any qualifications other than GCSEs. Having higher qualifications is no guarantee of getting the job (my boss told me he's had people come in with degrees who didn't know which end an elephant craps out of!), and not having them is no guarantee you won't get the job.

I would just point out that a zookeeper's pay is generally quite poor - I earned minimum wage. Many people want to work with animals, so they don't need to tempt workers with high pay. The hours are long and you may not be paid for any overtime worked - in the zoo I worked at, you were paid only between 8am and 5pm, even if you arrived at 6.30am and didn't leave til 7pm. You are also required to work weekends and public holidays without additional pay.

The work is physically very hard, and you will be dealing with people, in the shape of the public, as much as with animals. Indeed, there is often little interaction with the animals you care for - the majority of the job is cleaning (picking up faeces, sweeping up straw, window cleaning, etc.). Also, you often do not have a choice as to which animals you work with. Most zoos will simply take you on as a keeper and place you where you are needed, though you can request to work with certain animals if and when a position with them becomes available.

Answer 2

All most ALL zoo's require a degree in zoology or zoo science (only a few colleges offer this Friends college in Wichita Kansas does) This is 4 year degree and the pay is usually VERY lousy I believe its still around 20,000 - 30,000 a year. You should ask if they have a volunteer program some do and its a great way to see if you will like the work. Usually to be honest its not the work that turns people off its the politics (your probably too young to get this but in a few more years you will understand). There is always a boss you are never at the top. But for some this is right up their ally. You will probably start off working with the cleaning of things, maybe some simple food preparation, and the making of enrichment toys. At least for a while your interaction with the animals will be limited and never with the bigger more dangerous animals or most of the primates (they carry lots of zoonotic diseases). You should start doing all you can now, so you are prepared when you get ready to make decisions about your future.

Answer 3

Try these sites -

http://www.zoo.com.sg/conservation/proje...

http://www.zoo.com.sg/education/voluntee...

http://www.homestudycourses.net/conserva...

http://www.uniguru.com/studyabroad/postg...

http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/publications...

http://www.csshome.com/501c3.htm

http://www.wcs.org/

http://www.ppath.org/

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0522-inter...

http://experts.wirefire.com/DNR/non-cgi/...