Unfortunately, most people have no idea what the day-to-day duties of a zookeeper are — the career is not just playing with wild animals. Additionally, there is a significant difference between becoming a zoologist with an advanced degree and working as a zookeeper with a two or four-year degree. Here is the lowdown on what to expect from a career as a zookeeper. Zoology programs are highly competitive, particularly at the advanced degree stage. A few zoology programs are detailed below:. Zookeepers earn very little money and require quite a bit of post-secondary education. Surprisingly, there is a still a lot of competition for the available jobs.
Zookeepers are concerned with the welfare of animals kept in zoos, wildlife parks, aquariums and other animal attractions. As a zookeeper, you’ll usually specialise in working with one type of animal, or in a particular section of the zoo, such as with great apes, penguins, African animals, reptiles or in an aviary. You’ll grow to understand the animals in your care well and this will allow you to provide them with the best opportunity to thrive within captivity. Another vital aspect of your role is your ability to engage with the public and educate them about the inhabitants of the zoo. Most organisations housing animal collections have a focus on conservation, research and education and so there may be scope to get involved with these areas too. It’s common to start this career on an unpaid internship, or short-term seasonal post at minimum wage. Caring for animals in captivity is incredibly expensive, and much of zoo income is reinvested in upkeep. Salaries reflect the lack of difficulty that zoos have in recruiting keepers, with large numbers of applications for advertised posts. As a zookeeper, you’ll need to be prepared to work year-round, and over weekends too. Animals require care and attention every day, including Christmas and other holidays. You’re likely to be part of a ‘call-out’ rota, meaning you’ll need to be available outside of working hours in case of emergencies.
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Keepers often work unpaid overtime and need to be flexible about their days off, particularly if animals are unwell or births are expected. Although not exclusively a graduate profession, keepers are increasingly qualified to degree level, and often to postgraduate level. A degree in zoology is the most direct route into this career but a degree in a life science or animal-related subject such as the following can also be advantageous:. Several universities offer specific postgraduate courses in zoo conservation or zoo biology which can give applicants an edge in a fiercely competitive profession.
Definition and Nature of the Work
Call Chat online with a career expert. Email us with your career question. Back to top. Alternative titles for Zookeeper — About the job:. There are no specific training requirements. Find out more about how to enter the job. This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information. We do a lot of cleaning, feeding and observing the animals.
Becoming a Zookeeper
My twelve-year-old son is very, VERY interested in moneh as a starting career. What is a typical zoo-keeper’s day like? The Everetts. Hi Everett Family!
That’s a great question. Ok so im 17 and Im very interested in this field of work. My question is what kind of education do I need to be considered for hiring? I recently received this question by email thanks Kali! I actually don’t get this question as much as I used to, and obviously my experience won’t be everyone’s experience, but I’ll be as honest as I can without giving too much away. How much money do zookeepers make? Not. Yeah, yeah, I know. Keep reading. Someone once told me something about dream jobs, like zookeeping, that’s really stuck with me.
Basically, zookeepef significant part of the pay in a dream job isn’t money. The non-salary benefits of being a zookeeper are pretty obvious, but zookeeer do mean that you’ll probably never be wealthy.
Sure, you can survive on a zookeeper’s wages, but the rest is aa to you. I can’t really help you with hard numbers, because pay varies so much from area to area and zoo to zoo. Less, obviously, working part-time.
If that sounds low, there are other options. You can go into management, or look at the business side of things. Dors can get into research or lab work or even go into exotic animal veterinary medicine. But, like I said, for those of us in the field, who love it, the extra pay comes from the other perks we. Despite being a specialized and difficult job, zookeeper pay is kind of on the low side for a skilled position.
Part of zookeepe low-ish pay mkney get is simple economics. It’s a popular job, and with so many willing candidates out there, zoos don’t have to pay a lot to attract qualified people. Just another aspect to keep in mind when you’re considering if zookeeping is the right career for you!
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A day in the life of a zookeeper
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