Yes, fine. I will fully admit it. I am the type of person who will continue to take on new things until I overflow with too much to do and not enough time to do it in. I want to write weekly blog posts. I want to do a weekly vlog, or at least create decent video content for YouTube. Then there's IGTV and Instagram stories. Facebook. Twitter. All the usual suspects. Oh, and I have a day job that is kind of woven into it all. Plus a second job that kicks-in to full gear in a

"There are many ways to get there from here. But the path you take is yours. It is unique to you and what you make of it along the way." The Tiger. Like many in my line of work, it started with an early childhood obsession. For the most part I think I was curious about all animals as a kid, but the obsession started with cheetahs and tigers. I can remember I did my first big school report in second grade about cheetahs. I was enamored with their speed an how their body w

In honor of National Zoo Keeper Week, July 15-21, 2018, I wanted to share something I wrote several years ago in a social media post, so here it is. Actually, wait. Before we get too far into this, let's clear something up right now. Is it Zoo Keeper or Zookeeper? The answer is yes. And sometimes, it depends how you are using it. In some dictionaries, the definition for Zoo Keeper and Zookeeper are the same. Another source puts Zookeeper as one employed by a zoo to care

There are several ways to get into the animal care field. In fact, most keepers I know all seem to have their own unique story on how they got to where they are in their career. In other words, your path is your path, it may or may not follow the ways of others. But hopefully the information you are about to read will help you along the way. So, with out further delay, here is what I know.... When it comes to specific education, most facilities require a minimum of a bache

I am often asked, what is a typical day like for a Zookeeper? Of course, I can only answer based on my own experiences. I think its fair to say, each of us has our own take on what a typical day may be like. For example, you would find the rhino keeper's day would be different in comparison to that of a reptile keeper or a penguin keeper. In my years as a keeper, animal care specialist, trainer, and wildlife specialist (all titles I have held at various places) I can say w

This is a question I have received a few times lately and thought I would post the answer here for later reference, if it should come up again. The short answer: No, I am no longer a zookeeper. I was for a long time, and prior to that had worked professionally with animals for about 7 years in animal care and behavior work. So what do you do? First, a little history... I started as a part-time keeper at the San Diego Zoo in late 2000 and secured a full-time keeper position b