Why did you want to become a nutrition officer/work at the zoo?

I did my work experience at the zoo when I was 16 and fell in love with the animals and the like-minded people I got to work around. So, I worked towards moving to Dubbo when I finished school to do my Certificate III in Captive Animals and become a keeper. After a couple years of zookeeping I was given the opportunity to work in our Animal Food Prep Facility and haven't left!

What does your role entail at the zoo?

The Animal Food Prep team is responsible for sourcing and obtaining food for all the animals in the zoo. So a big part of my job is helping to order and organise food to come to the zoo, as well as prepping diets for our herbivores and carnivores.

As a zoo keeper, my job is to take care of the animals to make sure they're healthy and content, and give keeper talks to our visitors to teach them about our creatures. It's a busy but interesting job and a really good way to learn more about the animals we have here, and their needs.

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What do you love about your job?

I love being around similar people who have the same passion for animals and wildlife. Being around the animals themselves can also be a very humbling experience. The Food Prep Team is a close knit one and I really enjoy the opportunities I get working with them.

What has been a career highlight to date?

Working with the elephants is always interesting, they're such intelligent animals with personalities as big as they are heavy! One of the most challenging but rewarding aspects of my time with the elephants was learning to work with them when we do their bath routines.

What is something a member from the public may not know about your role or a unique aspect of your job?

Nutrition officers get to deal with every single department of the zoo on a daily basis. Obviously with zoo keepers to feed their animals, but also the maintenance team, cleaners, catering, you name it! As well as communicating with food prep at Taronga Zoo Sydney and coordinating with our Taronga nutritionist. This makes for a very busy environment, and no two days are the same! It's a really well-rounded way to learn how the zoo operates as a big organisation.

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