New Zookeeper Tips - Especially With Managing Animal Behaviour
Hi everyone,
I’ve recently landed my dream job as a zookeeper at a local wildlife park and I start next week. I’ve got a degree in Animal Biology and have studied animal behaviour as a module, but I know theory only gets you so far and experience is the real teacher.
I’m mainly looking for advice on dealing with difficult or aggressive animal behaviours. I’ve been told one of the animals I’ll be working with is a very territorial male Greater Rhea that has a habit of going for keepers when they enter the enclosure for daily tasks. Does anyone have any tips for safely managing or reducing this kind of aggression, or is it more about learning the individual animal and working around its behaviour?
I’d also really appreciate any general advice for a first-time keeper — things you wish you knew when starting out, good habits to get into, common mistakes to avoid, etc. I’m planning on spending the weekend reading up and preparing as much as I can before I start.
Thanks in advance!