Glad You Asked: How do you become a zookeeper?

 

One of the most frequently asked questions at the Racine Zoo is how do you become a zookeeper?

Glad You Asked!

"It takes a lot of hard work and free labor." said Racine Zoo animal supervisor Angie Sagert. "Normally, we go to school for any of the animal science degrees. So it could be anthropology to biology to animal management. And then either while you're in school or after you graduate, you normally complete some unpaid internships, generally at AZA institutions and that will kind of give you a head start to getting a paid zookeeper job."

Most zookeepers did not go to any kind of animal medical school. They're usually not veterinarians. But they do pick up some things.

"It kind of varies by institution. But here at the Racine Zoo we do help a lot with our medical procedures if it's needed. So, a lot of that stuff is just learned on the job."

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