The term zookeeper refers to any individual who works in a zoological park or aquarium. The zookeeping profession provides people with the opportunity to work with different types of animals. The scope of work involves various fields of interest such as conservation, public education, recreation, and research. In most cases, some people who already work as a zookeeper take up advanced studies to qualify for a supervisory position.
If you are contemplating a career in this field, experts suggest volunteering or working as an intern at a zoo first to find out if this is ideal for you. This will help give you a good idea of the scope of work and working conditions to expect. It is also best to seek out a related college degree like biology, as basic knowledge about animals is essential in this profession.
In addition to the taking up zookeeping courses, professional zookeepers encourage would be zookeepers to acquire the following essential traits to help guarantee their success in the field. A key trait essential to this profession is common sense. This entails the ability to evaluate situations reasonably in order to come up with a sensible decision when necessary. Another valuable trait is initiative. It is not enough for one to carry out the duties and obligations assigned but it best to seek out ways that can help improve the process. Flexibility is also important when dealing with animals. Since like humans, animals can also be temperamental and it is good to be able to adapt to any given situation should the need arise.