Zookeeper

Your Job

Zookeeper – Carnivores is responsible for the daily care, maintenance, and observation of assigned animal collection and associated facilities. This position will be involved with exhibit maintenance, diet preparation, conservation breeding programs, veterinary procedures, animal training and enrichment, education programs, and addressing guests.

Your Essential Responsibilities

• Daily cleaning of animal exhibits, service areas and holding units utilizing various tools, instruments, disinfectants.

• Diet preparation and feeding such as restock, inventory, ordering feed supplies as needed and as prescribed. Maintain food preparation areas and equipment.

• General maintenance of exhibits, service areas, and holding units such as fence repair, decoration, mister systems, automatic drinkers, shade cloth, filling holes, etc.

• Maintain exhibits and holding units to ensure animal, keeper, and visitor safety, and in good appearance for public viewing at all times.

• Design and construct exhibits/holding units by cutting and moving branches to plant or secure them to walls with dirt, cement, wire, nails; install nest boxes and barrels; attach burlap to cage walls to provide privacy; maintain plants in exhibits.

• Capture and restrain animals by hand, net, catchpole, or by corralling them under direction of supervisor for shipping/loading or routine/non-routine medical procedures.

• As assigned, assist Animal Health department with medical treatments such as prescribed medication/treatments, weighing/measuring, surgery, restraint/capture, and euthanasia of animals.

• Daily observation of animal collection for injury, illness, aggression, stress, breeding activity, diet intake, behavior, enrichment, capture/restraint, prescribed medical treatments, in-house moves, acquisitions/de-acquisitions, and fecal consistency and maintain accurate record of these observations.

• Maintains accurate records of daily observations of animal collection containing information regarding behavior, intake, fecal output, breeding behavior, aggression, behavioral enrichment, capture/restraint, prescribed medical treatments in-house moves and acquisitions/de-acquisitions.

• Monitor life support systems including but not limited to water filtration, ozone generators, HVAC, and backup generators as needed.

• Identify and communicate situations for repair and maintenance for the safety of animals, visitors, and staff as well as overall upkeep of the facilities.

• In conjunction with animal care leaders including Behavioral Husbandry department, work with animal collection on a one-to-one basis such as crate training, practicing commands, clicker training, and orientating animals to new enclosures.

• Apply appropriate techniques and opportunities for enrichment of the animal collections.

• Under direction of animal care leaders, devise and implement breeding protocols, diet revisions, exhibit designs, and maintenance.

• Research the animal collection and scientific journals, observe and recognize a variety of courtship behaviors, and create environments that induce breeding.

• Assist in acquisition/de-acquisition of animal collection by crate training, crating of animal, loading, transportation, and shipment.

• Train, assist, and oversee work of volunteers/interns and ensure their safety while performing these duties.

• Fill in for zookeepers in other departments as requested.

• Recognize signs of pest infestation in animal areas and combat pests/nuisance wildlife as directed.

• Maintain area compliance with all local, state, federal, and international regulations and ensure standards are met (USDA, AZA, etc.).

• Attend and participate in staff meetings and assigned training sessions.

• Participate in visitor education programs, formal and informal animal presentations and outreach programs, scheduled keeper talks, and provide accurate information to the public.

• Maintain necessary certifications as required (SCUBA, AZA Elephant Management, Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) etc.).

• Maintain necessary testing/vaccinations as required (TB, rabies, etc.).

• Respond to emergency calls after normal operating hours.

• Effectively communicate and demonstrate interpersonal skills with all levels of employees in a clear and professional manner.

• Demonstrate and adhere to TZMI’s workplace values.

• Know and follow zoo policies and procedures, including emergency protocols.