History of Zoos and Working in Zoos

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working in zoos

History of Zoos

The world’s first zoo, the Zoological Society of London was established in 1826 in Regents Park, London.
The animals were housed in poorly constructed cages and concrete pits. However, nowadays, most zoos have more carefully considered habitats for the animals and many zoos have pioneered breeding programmes to prevent species dying out. The Zoological Federation of Great Britain estimates that twenty percent of zoos actively participate in global conservation strategies for endangered species.

This means that zoos have changed purpose from existing purely for public entertainment to now ensuring that some endangered wild species have a chance of survival. As this emphasis on conservation increases, more zoos are employing specialist zoologists, conservation experts and ecologists. Click here to learn more about the modern zoo.

Sadly, not all zoos are forward thinking and many wild animals are still exhibited in terrible conditions with little attention paid to their physical and psychological well-being. Many countries still build zoos where wild animals are kept in cramped cages where they are not cared for properly – however, there is increasing pressure for these places to improve conditions.

There is statutory legislation and inspections in the UK and this ensures that Britain has a better reputation for zoos than some other EU countries – particularly Greece and Italy. The UK has taken the lead and campaigned for the adoption of an EU directive to establish minimum standards for zoos and this has led to a far greater focus on conservation and animal welfare issues.

Increasingly animals are bred in captivity with the aim of releasing them back into their native habitats. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) mission is to guide, encourage and support zoos and aquariums in animal care and welfare, environmental education and global conservation. WAZA is the umbrella organisation for the world zoo and aquarium community. Its members include leading zoos and aquariums, and regional and national associations of zoos and aquariums, as well as some affiliate organisations, such as zoo veterinarians or zoo educators, from all around the world.

An organisation called Zoo Check investigates conditions in zoos, circuses, aquariums and safari parks, it was set up as an anti captivity project of the Born Free Foundation. Zoo Check also exists in Canada. Zoo Check increases awareness of the suffering imposed on zoo animals. Their aims are :
To check, inspect and improve standards in zoos throughout the world, with the ultimate aim of phasing out traditional zoos entirely.
To prevent all types of abuse of wild animals, particularly in zoos.
To change the attitude of all people towards animals in captivity.
To preserve animals in their natural habitat on an international basis.
To promote the welfare and conservation of wildlife throughout the world.
To canvas, campaign and peacefully persuade zoos, national and local governments and other appropriate bodies to improve animal welfare.
To end the importation of animals from the wild.

working in zoos

A career working in a zoo, safari park or aquarium requires commitment and hard work. It is worth considering working as a volunteer before embarking on this type of career. Or it may be worth first pursuing an internship as these are designed to provide practical experience. Having some experience in work such as wildlife rehabilitation is very useful for any of the hands-on careers.

With more than a hundred million people visiting zoos and aquariums every year, workers have an excellent opportunity to educate large numbers of people about the need for the conservation of wildlife and the importance of respecting animals. This responsibility assures a varied, interesting and rewarding career.

To pursue a successful career working with wild animals, it is important that candidates are caring, compassionate and genuinely interested in the welfare of the animals in their care. Working directly with wild animals involves tough physical outdoor work; it is crucial that you enjoy being outdoors in all types of weather as all zoos and safari parks have large outdoor areas. You will need to be physically fit, hard working, have plenty of stamina and not be squeamish as some parts of the work can be messy and unpleasant.

If you are working in an aquarium environment, it is important that you are a competent swimmer. Depending on the type of organisation and location, you may be required to live onsite and it is useful if you are able to drive. Animal keeper positions are highly competitive and require skilled individuals with a background in a related life science field.

As with all animal related work, it is crucial that you are compassionate, dedicated and committed and that you don’t suffer from allergies. You will need to be able to recognise when animals are unwell or unhappy and be able to pay attention to detail and to health and safety requirements. Confined animals need care twenty four hours a day, seven days a week; therefore the working hours are unpredictable and varied and you will probably be required to work at weekends. The risk of being bitten or scratched exists in all of careers working with animals and it is important to ensure you have sufficient training and that you feel confident being around wild animals before embarking on a career working with them.

Careers in Zoos