For this update I will interview Gerben. Gerben is a friend of mine, who is 17 years old. He is following an Animal Management study in the Netherlands and he is currently working as an intern zookeeper at Zooparc Overloon.
What kind of animals do you work with?
Giant Anteaters, Banded Mongoose, Pygmy Goats , Chickens, Kookaburras, Saddle-Back Tamarins, Goeldi's Marmosets, Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs, Ringtailed Lemurs, Alaotran Gentle Lemurs, Crowned Lemurs, Meerkats, Crab-Eating Raccoons, a Von der Decken's Hornbill and Blue-and-Yellow Macaws belong to my daily routine.
What kind of jobs do you do?
I feed the animals, prepare the food for the animals, clean their enclosures and I do feeding presentations.
What do you like most about the job?
I really like to see how the animals appreciate it when you feed them.
What do you dislike about the job?
The fact cleaning the enclosures costs a lot of time and can be quite exhausting (sometimes even painful).
Which animal is your favourite to work with and why?
The Giant Anteaters. Even though I am not allowed to work alone with them (anteaters can be very dangerous), they are amazing animals to observe. I can only distinguish them by watching their behaviour.
Is the job of a zookeeper like you expected it would be?
Yeah, actually it was. There were no real surprises.
What is your opinion about Zooparc Overloon?
Overloon has done very well. They manage very well to keep the park tidy and neat. They also consider animal welfare as a paramount importance.
I want to thank Gerben for letting me interview him.
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