What is required to be a zoo keeper?

Question

I am planning to work at the zoo in the same city my college will be in and I'm planning to work there as a job to bring in a little money what is required and do you come into direct contact with the animals also can I work there when i'm 16 or do I have to be 18

Answer 1

http://www.bls.gov/k12/nature01.htm

Answer 2

It depends on the zoo and what animals you work with.

Some require a degree in biology or zoology.  Some want animal husbandry. Some even want a degree in psychology if you are working with training a particularly intelligent animal.

There are a few schools for zoo keeping (Gainsville Fla.)  you'll have to look them up.

I started volunteering at my zoo when I was 14 and just worked my way up through the children's zoo; attendant, lead attendant, intern, zookeeper.  I ended up handling elephants for six years!

As for the pay, I've heard that some zoos (mostly in the South) only pay minimum wage or just above.  I worked at a zoo up North and belonged to a laborer's union and made $18/hour with crazy excellent benefits!

It's not just playing with baby animals!  It's hard physical labor, dirty and you have to work outside in any kind of weather.  One of the toughest things is that you have people who don't see your animals everyday making major decisions about them.  You may feel one way about something but if the vet or one of your managers or the director sees things differently you really have no say.  It can be very frustrating.

Answer 3

To become a zookeeper you need to be able to work hard, not mind getting dirty (and I mean REALLY dirty!), and deal with people, in the shape of the public - this often requires a good deal of patience, as you will be asked the same question literally hundreds of times every day, and must always be polite however rude people are to you and however busy, tired and frustrated you are. Experience with animals will definitely help - most zoos are more interested in this 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. Volunteering at a zoo or animal sanctuary is a good way of gaining experience, but bear in mind that it can be quite difficult to get a job as a zookeeper as many people will apply for each position.

Also, 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. It is definitely not a job you do for the money.

It's worth remembering that TV. shows about zoos paint a very unrealistic picture of what the job entails, making it appear that things like hand-rearing baby animals and knocking animals out for medical procedures happen every day. In reality, these things happen only rarely. The work is physically very hard, and you must work outdoors in all seasons and weathers. 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.). You also 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 4

Most zoos nowadays are starting to require a degree to work there.  However, check your zoo to see what they require. If it's a small zoo you might be able to be a keeper with out a degree. If you really want to work at the zoo, there are other jobs available at the zoo besides zookeeper.

You could see about volunteering/interning at the zoo. You wouldn't be getting any pay though, but it would be good experience if you want to work at a zoo. Contact with the animals depends on what animals you work with, your age, and if the zoo allows it. The age requirement depends on the zoo. Also, these spots fill fast, just be prepared if you don't get it.

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Is anyone out there have information about Zoo ANimal Trainers?