You (Might) Belong In The Zoo

Have you ever thought about working at a zoo??

The obvious career at the zoo would be a veterinarian, one who specializes in zoo animals. Sometimes a zoo vet will further specialize, working with reptiles, large cats, raptors, swimming mammals, or animals particular to a certain environment. Vet Technicians are always needed to assist these veterinarians, as well.

Veterinarian getting some digital images of a tranquilized tiger.

There are a lot of other roles to be played in a zoo. Here is a list of some of them:

• Animal curator-this is someone who keeps track of the collections in a zoo; so this person might be a curator of mammals, reptiles, aquatic animals, birds, etc.

• Curator of Education-Zoos usually have educational programs for students of various ages, who can come and visit to learn about animals in an 'up close and personal' way.

Here is a docent helping educate students using a skull skeleton.

• Curator of Exhibits-This person helps to create the exhibits in such a way that is healthy for the animals but still allows the public to view them safely.

• Conservation Biologist or Zoologist-These are scientists and biologists who assist in the management of the collection, and who also do research and concentrate on the conservation of wildlife (being aware of endangered species).

• Zoo Keepers-these are the people responsible for the day to day care of the animals, including making sure each environment is kept clean, noting when an animal needs veterinary care, and also managing the food for the animals.

• Registrar-This person tracks the collection and keeps an 'inventory' of every animal in the zoo.
• Director and Assistant Director-These are the people responsible for the management of the whole zoo.
• Directors of Research-Research is needed on which animals to obtain and what kind of environment they need.
• Docents-These are people who volunteer to share their knowledge of animals with zoo visitors.

                         This man is a docent, talking to guests about birds.

• Personnel and Volunteer Coordinators-These people track the records of people who work and volunteer at the zoo.
• Operations and Maintenance-Many people are needed to keep the zoo running, which includes the power grids, utilities, security, landscaping for the grounds, keeping the buildings in working order, repairing broken fencing, and replenishing supplies.

Cleanup never ends in a zoo.

• Special Events Manager-When the zoo hosts a special event, such as 'Zoo Boo' at Como Park Zoo, this person would be in charge of the event and would make sure it happens successfully.
• Gift Shop Manager-Most zoos have gift shops and need people to run them.

Releasing a rehabbed eagle to the sky

As with any business, there is a need for public relations and Marketing; fund-raising; accounting and Chief Financial Officer; membership managers; and records management.

Check out this video of a student who had an internship at the Houston, Texas, zoo: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+zoo+intern&&view=detail&mid=1D00343D58D3F256F3691D00343D58D3F256F369&rvsmid=02E970F244A60D7C61C202E970F244A60D7C61C2&fsscr=0&FORM=VDFSRV

We are so lucky to have two great zoos in the Metro area: The website for the Minnesota Zoo is here:  http://mnzoo.org/
And for Como Zoo is here:  https://comozooconservatory.org/

When you want fish but it's slippery

If you love the zoo, think about one of these careers!

I Want To Be A Cowboy

Have you ever thought of working on a ranch with horses and cattle?

A cowboy/cowgirl handles mostly cattle or cows, with similar duties as a wrangler.

A person who works mostly with horses is called a 'wrangler.' Here are some of the responsibilities of a wrangler or a cowgirl/cowboy:

• Examinations for health purposes
• Vaccinations
• Feeding
• Branding
• Training
• Keeping their stalls clean/mucking out
• Transporting them by horse trailer
• Grooming
• Shoeing (horses)
• Assisting in foaling with horses (birthing), or calving with cows
• Wranglers sometimes find work in motion pictures and television when horses are needed
• Machinery repair
• You may be driving a pickup truck a fair amount of the time as well.

                                                                 Shoeing a horse

                                                           Wranglers often have dogs to help them herd cattle.

                                                    *****History lesson*******

After the Ice Age, horses and their relatives were largely extinct in what is now North America. The Spanish brought horses with them in the 16th century, and the horses thrived and reproduced throughout the country. Spanish 'cowboys' are called Vaqueros.  Cattle were largely wild, and the horses were captured and tamed to help herd the cows in groups for ownership by ranchers.

Cowboys were literally once boys: they started helping with horse and cow management at the age of 12 or 13. We have since learned that a grown adult is much better at handling and managing these large and heavy animals.
                                                           ***************

Did you know that a saddle weighs between 20 and 30 pounds, and a horse from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds?

This is not a job for someone who knows nothing about horses!

Keep in mind also that being a cowboy, cowgirl, wrangler, or ranch hand is physically demanding work that you will do outside 99% of the time (the other 1% may be taken up bandaging blisters and applying ice packs!)
There is a great deal of heavy lifting, with the possibility of back injuries.
You may fall or be thrown off the horse, be kicked by the horse, or bitten by the horse, as well as sprains and pulled muscles: you are trying to manage an animal that weighs close to a ton.
When you are not on a horse you will be on your feet.


You will not get days off because the weather is bad, and animals need maintenance 24/7, 365 days a year.
You will be dirty most of the time, and tired as well.

You will probably find that other people working at the same ranch aren't terribly social: They prefer the horses' company to humans. If you are also like that, you'll fit right in.



Another way to become involved with horses or other farm/ranch animals is to become a veterinarian or vet tech specializing in equines or farm animals.

If you want to own a ranch instead of only working on one, what skills would you need?

• Business set-up skills
• Goal Setting
• Marketing--how do you let people know about your business?
• Accounting--managing your money
• Managing your supplies
• Managing your animals
• Managing your employees
• Meeting any government requirements
• Maintaining your land and equipment
• Relationships with other businesses and the local Chamber of Commerce
• Will you want a website for your ranch? Who will design and maintain it?

Most ranches are in the western or southern states of the U.S. such as Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado, etc. You would probably need to move to one of these states to find work on a ranch.

How can you see if this is a job you would like?

Try visiting a dude ranch:

http://www.duderanch.org/

http://www.duderanch.com/working-dude-ranches/

Or consider working at one: http://www.duderanchjobs411.com/working_at_a_dude_ranch.html

Attend a cattle auction, here are some in Minnesota:

http://salebarninfo.com/tricounty.html  

To get a feel for the way cattle and horses are handled,

Attend rodeo school:

http://www.shop.sankeyrodeo.com/Age-14-to-Adult-Schools_c2.htm

Here are rodeos in Minnesota:

http://www.rodeoz.com/states/Minnesota

 

Cowboys at work:

http://www.texomaliving.com/cowboys-at-work

 

Here's a man who has learned the power of massage for horses: http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/rex-blackwell.html#.U3upPK4o6mQ 


And a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK1Z8NL0Bn0

Ready to saddle up?