I was a zookeeper at National Zoo. AMA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked at the Smithsonian too, not the zoo. Did you find it was difficult to move up to higher paid positions at the zoo?

Do you have to pay for parking?

As a keeper there's not a ton of room for advancement. After keeper comes biologist, and after that curator. There's only a handful of those spots, and people tend to stay in those positions for 15+ years. They also come with a lot more responsibility and almost no hands-on animal work, so most keepers don't even want to do them.

[Anonymous]

Which animals did you like to work with the most and why?
Which is your least favorite animal to work with?
Do you have any insight into why the membership benefits changed so drastic in FONZ?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think the zoo is well managed? What is the best managed zoo?

Eh. It's probably about the same as any other large government organization. There's been problems, there's been coverups, everybody complains about everybody.

Most zoos have problems. I worked at a zoo in Texas where, during my first week on the job, my boss went nuts and threatened to shoot the place up. So he was fired and I was thrown in charge of an area I knew nothing about with employees who resented me since I had been there one week and got promoted.

I've seen privately owned zoos that are well-managed. For sure, a LOT of private zoos are horrible places. I worked at a couple and the animals were treated terribly. But there's a few with owners who are both business people AND animal people, which seems to work well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where does the meat that lions eat come from?

I don't know exactly where, I never worked with lions. But there are companies that manufacture zoo animal diets, and that includes carnivore diet that's ground meat with added vitamins/minerals. It might be made from horse meat - I think I remember someone mentioning that (but that was YEARS ago).

They also get bones and whole prey items like rabbits. Some zoos also feed larger whole items, such as a section of a cow. Which is REALLY good for carnivores, but they need to get supplementation, too.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to this thread I had to google naked mole rats.
Learn something new every day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which animals did you like to work with the most and why?
Which is your least favorite animal to work with?
Do you have any insight into why the membership benefits changed so drastic in FONZ?

Thank you!

I don't want to tell my favorites, because that would give away who I am But I like the smaller animals better than the larger ones. I never really liked working with hoof stock, large carnivores, apes, etc. Ideal work environment for me is something like Amazonia, or the rainforest exhibit at National Aquarium - there's a wide variety of birds, small mammals, reptiles, fish. And a rainforest is a nicer work environment than a barn or concrete ape house.

My guess is money. National Zoo is unique in not charging entrance fees - most zoos get both city government money AND they charge admission. National doesn't have the money from admissions, so they need to make that up somehow.

I know it sucks but for perspective, San Diego Zoo charges $55-65+ per person, and a membership for a family of 4 costs at least $500. The zoo in the city I live currently charges $8-14 depending on age and residence. If my family goes to the zoo where I live, costs us about $50 total for admission.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for doing this! What's the best way to tell whether the zoo in an area you're visiting is a public or private, and is there anything else you can look for, like AZA accreditation, to tell whether it's reputable?

[Anonymous]

What's the gender balance of zookeepers? How about racial diversity?

[Anonymous]

Was there a lot of intra-zoo dating? (among humans)

[Anonymous]

The last time I visited the National Zoo (a long time ago) there was a pigmy rhino walked in a figure 8 pattern in his concrete pen. He had walked this path so long he had worn a track in the concrete. And the pen was littered with feces.

Is that proper care? Serious question, because it depressed the heck out of me. Main reason I now avoid zoos.

[Anonymous]

Do you like your job? Seems like a dream job but I can see the reality might be different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for doing this! What's the best way to tell whether the zoo in an area you're visiting is a public or private, and is there anything else you can look for, like AZA accreditation, to tell whether it's reputable?

AZA accreditation is a good place to start. There are some copycat organizations that use the exact same 3 letters that will accredit anyone who pays, so make sure it’s AZA.

But that being said, I have taken my kids to non-accredited zoos. There’s a small one near us we go to a lot. And we’ve gone to those drive-through safaris. If there’s anything really bad, like keeping a sloth in a bare cage 2 feet by 2 feet (yes, I’ve seen that) I usually post a negative review online and don’t go back.

Honestly, the best thing is really to just get outside. Most of the kids I saw at zoos just wanted to play. My kids get bored after an hour at a zoo, but will spend an entire afternoon playing in a creek looking for crayfish and minnows. Get some field guide, some nets for catching bugs and fish, and get in the dirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the gender balance of zookeepers? How about racial diversity?

Keepers are mostly female, upper management is mostly male. Almost everyone is white. Yea, it’s a problem.

It’s basically impossible to do with kids, so women leave after having children. And to get in, you need to spend years volunteering and doing internships. So you need to come from a family that can support you financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was there a lot of intra-zoo dating? (among humans)

SO much dating. I dated/slept with at least 6 coworkers. One was insanely gorgeous, all the single female keepers pursued him. I’m sure I’m not the only one he slept with.

I had multiple male, much older bosses get inappropriate with me (not at National, at other zoos I worked at).

My best friend worked at a different zoo, where a male keeper slept with most of the female staff and passed an STD around to them.

Lots of relationships between keepers and volunteers/interns.

I never had sex *in* a zoo, but knew some people who did.

It’s a weird dynamic. In most zoos, the keepers are primarily young, attractive women. Only 1-2 men for every 10 women. And since those men love animals, they’re irresistible. If they’re also physically attractive, they get a LOT of attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there a lot of intra-zoo dating? (among humans)

SO much dating. I dated/slept with at least 6 coworkers. One was insanely gorgeous, all the single female keepers pursued him. I’m sure I’m not the only one he slept with.

I had multiple male, much older bosses get inappropriate with me (not at National, at other zoos I worked at).

My best friend worked at a different zoo, where a male keeper slept with most of the female staff and passed an STD around to them.

Lots of relationships between keepers and volunteers/interns.

I never had sex *in* a zoo, but knew some people who did.

It’s a weird dynamic. In most zoos, the keepers are primarily young, attractive women. Only 1-2 men for every 10 women. And since those men love animals, they’re irresistible. If they’re also physically attractive, they get a LOT of attention.

Finally this AMA gets interesting. Maybe Bravo should do a series!