Zookeeper Training

Many Tertiary & Secondary students interested in Zookeeper training and education will be asking themselves which type of course will give them the best opportunity to gain employment in the Zoological or Animal care fields? Well there are several factors to consider and a few questions to ask yourself before you decide upon which direction to take and what type of course to apply for: Zookeeper

Consider the following:

• Do you like to work with animals & do animals like you?

• What type of animals would you like to work with?

• Are you happy to work outside in all weather conditions?

• Do you want to care for animals held in a captive environment?

• Do you want to manage animals in the wild?

• Are you physically fit & strong?

• Do you mind getting dirty or cleaning up faeces?

• Are you happy to work away from home for short & long-term periods?

• Are you happy to work on a roster arrangement, which will often include weekends & holidays?

• Also look into and consider wages and job opportunities for all wildlife fields.

There are a number of courses available for zookeeper training and education as well as self-development in wildlife management. These range from University Courses & Diplomas in Marine Biology, Zoology & Biology to TAFE Courses & Certificates in Animal care and Veterinary Nursing as well as , Animal Technicians & Zoo Keeping courses.

Working with animals can be a very rewarding career, however the choice you make and the path you take will depend to some degree on your answers to the above questions. Look into the courses that are available, as well as the job prospects, carefully.

Check out this website for a list of Related Zoo keeping Education Programs http://www.wonderferret.com/zooed/

Animals on Film have compiled support material on the Capture, Handling & Restraint of Wildlife that can be taken home & viewed in the comfort of your own home. Some of the Programs that are available now include Snake and Raptor handling.

These Programs are supplied on DVD (approx. 1 hr. in length) and come with a comprehensive training manual in PDF format (supplied on a CD-ROM).

Animals on Film have also just completed a programme on Zoonoses. This Programme discusses Zoonotic Risks, Source Animal Hosts, Disease Transmission, and looks at numerous specific diseases. The Zoonoses DVD is supplied with an extremely comprehensive manual which lists over 300 zoonotic diseases along with their, source hosts and vectors and incubation periods.

This Programme is a MUST for any zookeeper or anyone who works in the Animal Industry or in an animal related organization - private or government - and would make a valuable addition to reference libraries in hospitals, medical centres. doctors surgeries and clinics.

The Best Practice Capture Handling & Restraint DVD Series would be valuable resources for zookeepers or any other personnel dealing with animals such as:

• Wildlife Carers

• Council Rangers

• Veterinarians

• Field Research Personnel

• Quarantine or Customs Personnel

• Transport personnel who move animals on a regular basis.

or as reference material in a commercial or institutional library. (Site Licences)