In a career that many could only dream of, Taronga Western Plains zoo keeper Kaitlyn Doherty is sharing her story about why she wanted to work with some the world's most unique animals.
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What have been her highlights? What does she do on daily basis? What's her favourite animal to work with? Find out here.
How long have you been Taronga Western Plains Zoo?
I have been at Taronga Western Plains Zoo for 3.5 years.
Why did you want to become a zookeeper?
Having grown up on the family farm near Gulgong, I've always had a love for creatures great and small! I started doing my Certificate II in Captive Animal Management through the Taronga Training Institute (TTI) and realised the passion I had to work in this field. I wanted to become a zookeeper at TWPZ because I admire their passion and commitment to conservation.
What does your role entail at the Zoo?
Lots of cleaning! As a keeper we will spend a large portion of our day cleaning the yards of the animals in our care, so they can stay nice and healthy! We also do conditioning, feeding and build rapport with the animals. In my time at the Zoo I've had the opportunity to work with Meerkat, Cheetah, African Wild Dog and Galapagos Tortoise and my favourite would have to be Cheetah and African Wild Dogs.
What do you love about your job?
I love getting to work outside. To be among nature is rewarding in itself and being surrounded by very likeminded people can make the work environment very enjoyable.
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What has been a career highlight to date?
Definitely the hand injection of an African Wild Dog. The African Wild Dog team has worked hard over the past year to be able to build rapport with the dogs and begin a conditioning plan for them, so we have the ability to hand-inject them in the event they require a health check or more intensive medical procedure. We completed our first successful one earlier this year and it was a big achievement that I was proud to be a part of!
What is something a member from the public may not know about your role or a unique aspect of your job?
Our environment is very unique compared to most. We work alongside animals and must build a strong rapport with them so we can understand each other. We love being a voice for them, raising awareness and building that connection with the public, so they can help us achieve our vision of securing a shared future for wildlife and people!
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