Animal Keeper

Job Description

The successful candidate will be involved in various duties including bird husbandry, setting up aviaries, reporting to supervisors, and ensuring excellent animal care.

• Involve in bird husbandry (including training and enrichment)
• Setting up aviaries for exhibiting to the public considering both the bird’s and the public’s needs
• Reporting to supervisor
• Excellent animal care
• Feeds, waters, and cleans quarters of bird’s collection
• Adds vitamins or medication to food as prescribed by Vets under supervision
• Fills water containers and places food in cages or aviaries as specified
• Cleans bird’s quarters, using rake, water hose, and disinfectant
• Observes birds to detect illnesses and injuries and notifies supervisor or vet health care department of findings
• Monitors birds’ health, breeding conditions, and behavior
• Involve transportation from one enclosure to another for purposes such as breeding, rearrangement of exhibits, or shipping if needed
• Sets temperature and humidity controls of quarters as specified
• Hand raising if needed
• Handling, Captures and restrains animal
• Hygiene management to prevent disease
• Ability to build relationships with animals
• Visitor interactions including scheduled on-ground talks to our guests, answers visitors' questions concerning bird habits or zoo operations
• Completes daily worksheets listing the amount of food eaten, etc
• Maintain the highest level of safety in the work area through implementation of safety protocols and procedures to ensure safety for the animal and visitors
• Participate in and support collaborative efforts pertaining to the care of the collection including training, enrichment, research, and education
• Actively foster constructive attitudes and a team orientation among staff
• Contributes to conservation activities as assigned
• Support the goals of EPZ departments’ collection plan, strategic and Master Plans
• Oversee activities of interns and volunteers
• Participate in workshops, training sessions if needed to improve job knowledge and professional development
• May assist vets in treatment of animals for illnesses and injuries
• May assist animal trainer or instructor in presentation of programs, shows, or lectures
• A large percentage of duties are performed outdoors in various weather conditions, ranging from rain, wind, cool to cold weather, and extreme heat and humidity

• High school, zoology, or related field is preferred
• One year of prior animal care experience (paid) at a controlled environment facility
• Good communication skills, an enthusiasm for interacting with the public, and a willingness to give regular talks to visitors, special groups, etc
• Familiar with operant conditioning and enrichment techniques
• Must be able to function as a team member and support zoo’s mission
• Must be dependable and demonstrate flexibility regarding work schedules
• Must be willing to work weekends and holidays
• Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather
• Must be able to perform strenuous work and lift at least 25 kg repetitively, bending, lifting, etc
• English is must, Arabic is preferred
• Must be willing to work with different cultures and nationalities
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered