a day in the life

The job of a zookeeper is never dull. There is always something that comes up to keep you on your toes. Some days I have to deliver hay from the hay barn to the farm, sometimes I get to help other people with their sections, animals need vet care, exhibits need to be maintained. There is honestly no such thing as a "normal" day. However, in case anyone is interested, here is roughly my most normal daily routine.

8:00 am- clock in, get radio, check keeper log, grab pig diets, head to the gator!

8:10 am- elk: lock elk out of barn, rake barn, feed grain & hay, change water, let 'em back in

8:40 am- lynx: check exhibit, break ice/change water on exhibit, shift Chayne out, clean holding

9:00 am- check Bald Eagle exhibit & aviary, make sure everyone is alive & well

9:05 am- farm: feed pigs, clean stalls, replace shavings, feed & water everyone, clean up

10:10 am- pick up compost from bobcat & wolf

10:20 am- bear: shift bears to dens, break ice/change water, pick up compost

10:30 am- help out weasel keeper if necessary, dump compost

11:00 am- wash dishes, take 15 minute break

11:15 am- prepare diets for all exhibit animals, pull frozen diets for next day

12:30 pm- lunch time!

1:40 pm- gather up diets and head out to feed out

1:50 pm- feed bears: shift to dens, feed, give them access & watch Roswell eat all the fruit

2:10 pm- feed farm: throw hay to everyone

2:30 pm- Bald Eagle exhibit: feed Duncan, Ichabod, and ravens; pick up compost

2:45 pm- aviary: feed ravens, turkeys, barn & barred owls; pick up compost

3:10 pm- close farm: turn off lights, lock up barn

3:20 pm- feed bobcat: feed Shadow & Sinew, lock them into holding

3:35 pm- feed lynx: feed Chayne, try to make her love me...

3:45 pm- help other keepers feed out if necessary

4:00 pm- dishes, write in keeper log, sweep & mop floors, take out trash

5:00 pm- turn in radio and clock out!

So that is my day, in a nutshell. Of course, it almost never actually turns out that way, but you get the picture. I'm kind of tired just thinking about it. There you have it!