Animal Trainers and Zookeepers
Train, educate and handle animals.
A day at the wildlife park
You are a keeper and animal trainer at a small wildlife park, caring for several species and giving talks to visitors. It is 6:30am. The first jobs are feeding rounds and cleaning, school groups arrive at ten, and one of the animals is not eating the way it normally does.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
The wallaby in enclosure 3 has not touched her breakfast and she is hiding. I have got a school group at ten and a talk to prepare. I would like you to keep an eye on her. What will you do?
Observe her quietly, write down what you notice, and report to Wren and the vet if it continues
You notice she is also favouring one leg. Your notes help the vet decide quickly. A keeper's most valuable tool is paying attention.
Leave her until after the school group, since you are busy and she is probably just stressed
By midday she is worse, and the vet is called later than was needed. Putting it off felt practical, and a sick animal does not wait for a schedule.
Try her with different food to see if that tempts her
She nibbles a little, which is reassuring, but it hides the real problem. Trying to fix it before understanding it can make the picture harder to read.
The children are very excited. One of them wants to put her hand through the fence to pat the emu. I know the sign says not to, but you are right here, and she is a very gentle girl. Is it all right just this once?
Say yes, because you are right there and the emu seems calm
The emu is calm until another child shouts and it swings its head. Nobody is hurt, but you are shaken. Rules at an enclosure protect the animal and the child, however gentle either one is.
Say no kindly, and offer the class something they can safely do, like feed the keeper's feed station or touch a feather
The children enjoy the feather and the teacher understands, though the girl is a little disappointed. A no with a nice alternative is good, and she might have been given a closer role.
Say no kindly, explain why, and invite the girl to help hold the feather
The girl is proud of her role and the children listen closely to the explanation. The rule becomes part of the story, not just a sign on a fence.
I was in with the dingo pups and one of them nipped at my sleeve. It was playing, I think. I did not want to bother you, but I wasn't sure whether to tell you. Can I keep going with them?
Check her sleeve, thank her for telling you, and pause the session to talk
No harm was done, but you work out she was holding her hand in a way that invited play. A short talk and a change of routine keeps the pups and Cassie safe.
Tell her it is fine, pups nip, and to carry on with the session as normal
It is true that pups nip, but nipping can build into a habit, and Cassie is still unsure what to do. A quick lesson would have turned a worry into a skill.
Take her off the pup job straight away and tell her never to go in there again, to be safe
Cassie feels as though she did something wrong, and the next time something goes slightly wrong, she does not mention it. Anyone who works with animals needs to feel safe saying so.
How it went
The school group leaves delighted, the wallaby is with the vet and your notes are on the keeper's board. Working with animals is physical, patient and often about people as much as animals. Does the thought of learning to read animals, and explaining them to others, appeal to you?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The dog who would not let go of the lead
A fictional case set in a fictional wildlife park and training yard, with enclosures, a dog training field and a stable block.
The situation
Bryony ran puppy classes at Wattle Creek Dog School. A young kelpie called Dash pulled hard on the lead and snapped at it whenever his owner, Mr Walsh, tried to correct him. Mr Walsh was embarrassed and said he thought the dog was just stubborn. Other owners were watching, and the class had a limited time to get through its exercises.
What they did
Bryony watched Dash for a few minutes before she spoke. She noticed he pulled hardest when Mr Walsh tightened the lead and talked louder. She gently suggested a different approach, with a looser lead, a calm voice and a reward for walking beside him. She showed Mr Walsh herself, and then handed the lead over. She kept her instructions simple and praised each small success.
How it turned out
By the end of the class Dash walked a short distance without pulling. Mr Walsh came back each week. Bryony said afterwards that the dog was rarely the problem, and that the real work was helping people read what their animal was telling them.
What would you do?
- How would you tell an owner that their own habit is part of the problem?
- What are some ways animals tell us what they feel without words?
- Would you rather work with animals, the people who own them, or both?