Animal Care Extern

Duties & Responsibilities 

Monitors guest/animal interactions in seasonal walkthrough attractions including petting zoo, and budgerigar aviary. Provide guidelines to guests entering the exhibits as per USDA, Animal Plant, and Health Inspectional Services guidelines.  Answers questions, interprets animal behavior and engages with the public in a polite and friendly way. 

 Identifies, collects, processes and distributes browse for various animals as diet and enrichment.   

Assists in the care of animals from all taxa, in any tasks needed. 

Participates in preparing diets according to specifications to some animals, checking foodstuffs for spoilage, feeding animals according to procedures, as directed.  

Cleans exhibits and adjacent public areas to insure sanitary and safe conditions by hosing, scrubbing, sweeping, raking, shoveling, and disinfecting to remove manure, unconsumed food, litter, and foreign objects. 

Assists and shifts free contact animals when directed by an attending zookeeper or supervisor.  

Observes animals for unusual behaviors or appearance, signs of stress, illness or injury, aggression, breeding, births, egg laying, hatching, deaths, and eating habits.  Report observations to attending zookeepers. 

Continuously monitors animal wellness. Provides approved behavioral and environmental enrichment in accordance with zoo policy. Cooperates with existing operant conditioning programs, and strictly follow procedures. 

Maintains exhibits, public areas, off-exhibit holding areas and grounds, including some landscaping (e.g. weeding, raking leaves).  Records temperatures; reports equipment not working, uses power tools once trained. 

Interacts with and answers questions of zoo guests by providing information about zoo animals and policies as assigned to meet the education and guest relations needs of the zoo. Participates in informal programs to educate the public. 

Monitors working laborers and contractors for animal safety and watches animals for signs of stress. 

Attends safety and professional development training as required. 

As assigned by their supervisor, assists in research projects designed to improve animal care. 

Participates in integrated pest control management as directed by the Pest Control Manager.  May include, setting and clearing traps, and reporting problem areas. 

May be assigned to work in any area of either zoo and performs related work as required and/or assigned. 

Exhibits positive attitude, affect, attitude, articulation and affability towards guests, co-workers and colleagues. 

Physical Demands 

Frequently moves about on foot from one animal area to another. 

Frequently raises/lowers, transports, and positions heavy objects (e.g. bags of grain, bales of hay) weighing up to 50 pounds from truck to ground, from ground to barrels or pallets grasping with hands and arms, to maintain food stock and supplies. 

Frequently reaches, pushes, pulls and throws objects by hand, open/close doors/gates, or items to animals at a distance. 

Frequently uses good balance to climb, ascend/descend stairs and ladders, works atop rockwork, and traverses uneven or slippery exhibit terrain to clean enclosures and feed animals. 

Frequently stoops, kneels, or crouches to work, such as to clean, feed or observe animals. 

Frequently converses with guests, co-workers and contractors to exchange accurate information for animal care, education and safety purposes. Must be able to identify and communicate animal health and welfare and safety concerns via the radio. 

Frequently inspects, detects and identifies animal health and welfare concerns and safety issues using, sight (including color identification to see blood in stools), and smell (to detect moldy food stuffs, change in stools, etc). 

Work Conditions 

Spends extended periods on feet in an assigned area. 

Constantly working in outdoor climatic conditions including rain, extreme cold or heat, and humidity. 

Frequently exposed to and working in close contact with a variety of exhibit animals (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects), animal waste, dander, feathers, hay, dust, allergens and contagious diseases. 

Frequently working around electric fencing.

Frequently handling toxic and/or hazardous materials for cleaning enclosures and medicating animals. 

Occasionally working in confined or cramped spaces. 

Frequently working from an elevated position. 

Minimum Job Requirements 

High School Diploma or GED. 

TB tested negative within the last 12 months before starting if working in primate areas  

Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 

Must possess great written and oral communication skills to understand instructions and information of a technical nature.  

Must have the ability and willingness to enhance the knowledge and skills needed to provide professional animal care. 

Must have the ability and willingness to function independently and as a member of a team. 

Must have the ability to work for extended periods in harsh climatic conditions.  

Must have the ability to work safely around dangerous animals, chemicals, and around animals with contagious diseases. 

Must have no allergies, diseases, or conditions that would prevent working in any area of the Zoos.  

Must be able to withstand physical hardships associated with duties, i.e. assist with animal restraint. 

Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs. 

Ability to use hand and small power tools, hand and pole saws. 

Must be able and willing to work weekends, holidays, and overtime. 

Must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license with a safe driving history and be comfortable driving to collect/distribute browse.