Zookeeper

[2] Early civilizations in Mesopotamia (present day Iraq), Egypt, China and India allowed rulers and the wealthy class citizens to keep collections of wild animals.

[2] King Hammurabi (Babylonia, 1728-1686 BC) established the first known Code of Laws, which included fees that could be charged by “ox and ass doctors” or what we know today as veterinarians.

[5] Some keepers can become highly specialized such as those who concentrate on a specific group of animals like birds, great apes, elephants or reptiles.

Modern habitat exhibits attempt to display a diversity of species of different animal classes within one enclosure to represent ecosystem concepts.

The shift in exhibit arrangements is changing the scope of work for animal keepers, as they become habitat keepers, with a necessary working knowledge of living environment care, including landscape maintenance, plant care, climate control, and expanded knowledge of animals husbandry for many more species across taxonomic classes.

In the US they are often required to have completed a college degree in zoology, biology, wildlife management, animal science, or some other animal-related field.

In contrast, some zoos in Australia have a strong reliance on dedicated part-time volunteer workers, who assist zookeepers in the simpler tasks such as preparation of foods and medicines, and cleaning of animal enclosures.

In the US, in addition to good academic preparation, most zoos prefer to hire people for zookeeping positions who have prior animal-handling experience.

[6] Other internships can be found in an animal-related facility, including vet hospitals, humane society shelters, wildlife rehabilitation centers, farms and stables.

There are several occupational hazards associated with zookeepers including allergens, zoonoses, bite injuries, slips, trips, and falls, chemicals, stress, and noise.