What it takes to be an exotic animal keeper as ZooDoo hunt for new employee

From friendly meerkats to fierce lions, this job packs a lot into the simple title of exotic animal keeper. Here’s what it takes.

Mandy Prestage curator of animal care at ZooDoo with meerkats. ZooDoo are currently on the looking for an exotic keeper. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Do you love exotic animals but prefer not to get too close?

Are you captivated by the independence of cats, yet happy not to touch them?

Can you assess an animal’s health without laying a hand on it?

If so, ZooDoo Zoo near Hobart might have the perfect job for you.

The zoo is on the hunt for an exotic animal keeper, including care for lions, a role that demands skill, intuition and a comfort with danger.

“It’s very hard with big cats. You need to be a very specialised person because we’re completely hands-off. They’re extremely dangerous animals to look after,” ZooDoo curator Mandy Prestage said.

Mandy Prestage curator of animal care at ZooDoo with meerkats. ZooDoo are currently on the looking for an exotic keeper. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“You have to know how to read them – their weight, their demeanour, their body language. What is all that telling you about their welfare, their state of mind, their enrichment levels?”

Like many zoos worldwide, ZooDoo has adopted a “hands-off” or “restrictive contact” approach, particularly for large predators. It’s a safety measure that benefits both animals and their keepers.

“It’s very dangerous working with animals like this,” Ms Prestage explains.

“Even though they’ve been in care their whole lives and have a semblance of trust in us, they’re still very dangerous. Restrictive contact is safer for them and for us.”

The risks are real. Just this year, a head zookeeper in Crimea was killed by lions while cleaning their enclosure, and a Nigerian zookeeper lost his life after failing to properly secure a lion’s cage while preparing its food.

But for the right candidate, the job offers more than just risks – it comes with perks, including a moving stipend, three months of free accommodation, and a company car.

Ms Prestage admits that recruiting exotic animal specialists to Tasmania can be a challenge. The state’s remote location and a growing preference among zookeepers for working with native animals make finding the right person tricky.

White lion Bakari, right, with sibling Kiara as 10-month-old cubs.

While lions Malika and Bakari won’t be curling up for a cuddle any time soon, Ms Prestage says big cats do form bonds with their keepers over time.

“If anyone new comes up to the dens or feeding them, they absolutely know what’s going on,” she says.

“It does take a while to build that kind of relationship and trust with them, but it’s worth it.”

The successful applicant will also care for primates, meerkats, and other species, including some cheeky monkeys that demand constant human interaction. Flexibility is essential, according to Ms Prestage.

“It’s the standard rule with children and animals – something’s always changing, and things are literally thrown at you every day,” she said.

The interactive meerkat display at ZooDoo is popular with both visitors and keepers.

“These guys are so interactive and so inquisitive, and they love seeing people it’s something new for them and like a form of enrichment,” ZooDoo curator Mandy Prestage said.

Mandy Prestage curator of animal care at ZooDoo with meerkats. ZooDoo are currently on the looking for an exotic keeper. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“When people get to come in with these guys they get to sit down on the ground with them and the meerkats are crawling all over them investigating,” Ms Prestage said, adding the group of male meerkats were particularly curious.

She said feeding the meerkats in the morning is one of the favourite parts of her day.

“These guys are running up and down along the front of the enclosures looking through the window just waiting for us to come in,” she said.

Despite the name meerkats don’t meow, they bark.

“They make a little barking noise, so they are communicating with us letting us know how excited they are,” she said.

Scooter the Meerkat is one of the oldest at the zoo at 12 years old and, like his counterparts in the wild, has a very important role in the group.

Originally published as What it takes to be an exotic animal keeper as ZooDoo hunt for new employee