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Samantha Harper
Harrell
English IV Honors
November 13, 2014
Zookeepers and zoo veterinarians have a very strict and stressful job. They are the
people that maintain the health and well-being of all the animals in the zoo. Though it is a very
rewarding and enjoyable job, zookeepers have protocols and regulations that they must follow
just like any other job. The zookeepers must insure that all animals entering and leaving the park
are in good health. Zookeepers and zoo veterinarians must follow a strict set of guidelines in
order to uphold the safety of new animals arriving to the zoo, and ones already in the facility.
When shipping animals in and out of the zoo facilities many steps are taken to uphold the
highest amount of safety possible. The zoo veterinarian is responsible for signing a certificate
documenting that the animal is indeed in good health and able to be transported. In the
document, Guidelines for Zoo and Aquarium Veterinary Medical Programs and Veterinary
Hospitals, the author says The consignor and consignee should share in the responsibility for
health care prior to, during, and after shipment of animals (Amand et al. 10). This means that
anyone who signs an agreement saying that the animal is in good health, then he/she is in full
responsibility of the animal throughout the entire shipment process. He/she should also should
ensure that temperature acclimations are made for the animal based on its species. The crates
that the animals ship in need to be checked by the zookeeper to see that they are in good
condition and properly sanitized. Each state has different requirements for medical needs of
species. The vet should properly give medical examinations, vaccinations and any other tests
needed for that animal based on the requirements of the place being shipped to. Quarantining

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animals is also a duty of the zookeeper. When the park is receiving a new animal, it is important
that they keep the new animals and the veterans there separated until they can perform an
examination. Keeping the animals in quarantine assures that no disease spreads throughout the
zoo. A minimum of 30 days quarantine is recommended for most mammals including
marine mammals, birds, and most reptiles (Amand, Cook, Hinshaw, Joslin, McBain, and
Oosterhuis). The time period for quarantine can vary based on the type of species.
It is the zookeepers duty to replicate the natural environment of each individual species
within their habitat at the zoo. Making a natural exhibit is not only aesthetically pleasing to
visitors, but it also helps the animal feel more comfortable transitioning into its new home.
Temperature arrangements should be met for each species as well. Though many animals can
undergo many different temperatures and climates, it is important that the zookeeper provides an
area for shade and easy access to water in their exhibit. In the article, Management of Zoo
Animals, the author Michael R. Loomis says, It is essential to ensure that each animal has
access to the protected environment and that one dominant individual does not exclude others
from shelter, food, or water; such exclusion can result in frostbite or even death due to
exposure(Loomis). It happens very often that one animal becomes the terrorist in the group and
excludes the others from food and water. If the zookeeper does not monitor and protect the
animals this can often lead to dead in the weaker animals.
The fate of the animals in the zoo rest in the zookeepers hands. They are the ones day in
and day out protecting and nurturing these animals. The zookeeper and zoo vet monitor the
transportation of the animals in and out of the facility. The vet does all medical examinations and
the zookeeper observes and collects data in order to track the animals health throughout it stay

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at the zoo. Zookeepers have a million things to do at one time, but their main job is to assure the
safety of the sacred animals within the zoo.