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CommentsWhat It Feels Like...
(page 5 of 17)
… To Be a Zookeeper
Maria Sander, 29
She has worked in microbiology—including bioterror research and cheese-testing—but now she is a zookeeper at Springfield’s Dickerson Park Zoo.
This is what it’s like to spend your days among wild animals.
BY MARIA SANDER,
AS TOLD TO GREGORY HOLMAN
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I always grew up with dogs and cats. When I was in eighth grade in North Carolina, I got a horse. I had begged my dad for a horse forever. When I was in college, I majored in microbiology and wanted to be a vet. But then I shadowed a vet and realized I didn’t want to be around sick animals, I wanted to be around them at their healthiest and happiest. You really get to bond with the animals at the zoo. If I worked with sick animals, it would break my heart. I don’t think I could do that.
At first, the animals have to get used to your smell and your voice. It’s not like a dog that just runs up to you. It’s rewarding. It’s just really cool to be up here to see them and hang out with them. I’m like, “I’m sitting here with a mountain lion. I’m sitting there with a bear.” Who gets to do that?
Lots of people think you just play with the animals, but they’re 100-percent reliant on you. You have to look out for their health—for everything. With all the animals, we do some kind of enrichment. Enrichment is anything that helps to encourage their natural behaviors. We don’t put food in bowls. They’re not pets. We kind of make them work for it, so it’s like in the wild. They have to hunt for food. We rearrange the “furniture” in the exhibits sometimes for variety for the animals.
Yes, it is the ultimate fun job. I like to say it’s the only job where you wash your hands before and after going to the bathroom. Also, I don’t have to do my hair, do my make up. I get to come up with cool things that would resemble what the animals do in the wild.
Money isn’t the most important thing. I made a lot more when I worked in the lab. But I kept checking the city’s website. “Is the city hiring a zookeeper?” It’s much more rewarding working with the animals.
Life’s too short.
Reader Comments:
I came to this site after reading another story on this "What it feels like..." set of articles. I must say, to read that Mr. Pitt (Doug) is working with his brother in an effort to raise money for relief in Africa, I am rather charmed. Not to sound terribly snide but we expect celebrities to do something with the fame they have, we don't often see "normal" people doing the same. Though I appreciate that life with a brother such as this cannot exactly be normal as I would understand it but it is a step closer than what his brother experiences and it would be much easier to just leave the "dirty work" to his brother. My respect goes to this man, I'm glad I read through the articles, this was an impressive one to read. ~Emily