Trainee zookeeper blog: Breaking into the industry

28/12/2015 in Highland Wildlife Park

Picture: Gemma at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust

To introduce my new blog about the life of a trainee zookeeper, I thought it appropriate to describe the rather roundabout way that I took to get here.

At the age of three, I carried a bucket of snails in from the garden with the intention of caring for them. I believe it was then that I decided I wanted to surround myself with animals. Naturally, the snails were all on my bedroom ceiling by the next morning, but still, we all must start somewhere.
I grew up around dogs, horses and an unusual array of pets. With hay in my hair and constantly muddy fingernails, it seemed inevitable that I would work with animals. I was determined to be a zoo keeper or a vet: I am fairly certain those are the only animal-related professions children are aware of!

I managed to get a weekend job at a boarding kennels in my early teenage years and later moved on to a local veterinary hospital; they definitely served me better than a paper round. These positions taught me the basic principles of animal care and welfare. I also learnt that I didn’t want to be a vet as it just wasn’t for me.

Cleaning up after the Bactrian camels at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park

Instead of Veterinary Sciences, I studied for a BSc in Animal Behaviour at Chester University, which allowed me access to Reaseheath College’s small zoo collection. I also secured a volunteer placement at the Wolf Conservation Trust. Working with non-domestic species was inspiring and it only fuelled my developing interest in wildlife conservation. A short time later I found myself on a plane to South Africa where I, and a handful of other students, participated in the monitoring and management of the reserve’s stock, as well as conservation efforts to restore river banks, protect trees and encourage regeneration.

Whilst I was unable to complete the third year of my degree, I then secured a job with the RSPCA. I found myself being trained in rehabilitating dogs with behavioural issues, which I discovered I had a real passion for. Inevitably, my interests in the zoo world took a back seat and I concentrated on canine behaviour, which I completed a diploma in. However, a few years later the kennels closed. Unsure what to do next, I volunteered at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, working with their tundra reindeer that roam the nearby mountains.

This was the few weeks that changed my life. I fell in love with the Highlands. I drove the six hours back home, picked up my dog and moved my life up north. I got a job in the local pub and immediately started looking for animal-related work. That was when I found RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, a real gem of unusual species in the most idyllic setting. I was smitten.

Meeting Dr Jane Goodall whilst working as an RZSS Education Volunteer

After some brief emailing I started volunteering with the education team. This lead to a paid position with the visitor services department, mostly on the tours. I enjoyed this role and learnt a lot about the collection. I hoped it was simply a case of biding my time until there was a position with the animal department.

Several vacancies came and went; I didn’t have the qualifications to contend with other applicants. This didn’t knock my confidence though. I did a couple of days volunteering with the animal keepers, seeing the experience as an opportunity to prove myself. Finally the position for a trainee animal keeper cropped up, which didn’t necessarily require a qualification as full training is provided. Thankfully, the animal collection manager gave me a chance.

At 26, I may not have not carved the most direct path into zookeeping (which these days usually consists of a Zoology degree and various volunteer placements in zoos), but sometimes to achieve the goal of a lifetime the shortest distance to travel is not always a straight line!

Gemma
RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, Trainee Zookeeper