It's National Zoo Keeper Week and we couldn't be more excited to celebrate our incredible staff during this week!  The zookeeping field is a tough one to say the least....with long hours, busy days/weird days off, plenty of smells, etc. but it's also incredibly rewarding.  Between being able to work with our animals each day, learning from our fellow colleagues, and being a part of an ever-changing and advancing field - it's a career that is for those who are incredibly passionate, dedicated, and hardworking. 

 

This week, we want to say thank you to all of our amazing keepers and staff who work tirelessly 365 days a year to make our facility as wonderful as it is.  While National Zoo Keeper Week highlights keepers, we want to ensure that it really does "take a zoo" to keep all of the animals, grounds, and facilities in tip top shape!  So, another THANK YOU to our keepers, management staff, hospital staff, nutrition staff, shops teams, horticulture crew, education staff, volunteers, interns, and more! Keepers would not be able to do their jobs without the help of the entire Zoo! 

 

NCAAZK Officers will be delivering Keeper Kudos on Monday, July 18th, so keep an eye out for tasty snacks in your unit's common area!  We will also be sending out our annual Zoo Keeper Accomplishment Document, which highlights all of the hard work our staff has been doing throughout the year.  

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Please also join us for our annual Zoo Keeper Appreciation Picnic at the NZP campus on Wednesday, July 20th, starting at noon in the Conservation Pavilion!  Our curators have graciously agreed to grill our usuals of hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers! There will also be drinks, picnic sides, and dessert.  All staff, interns, and volunteers are invited and welcome to attend! :) 

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The SCBI campus will be hosting a Zoo Keeper Appreciation Cookout on Thursday, July 21st, from 11:30a - 1p in Building 90!  There will be a cookout with potluck sides.  NCAAZK will provide drinks, meat and veggie burgers, hot dogs, and condiment, but staff are encouraged to bring a favorite side dish to share! All are invited to attend! :) 

 

Throughout the week, we will be sharing various images of staff doing amazing things like enrichment, training, and other husbandry work!  Take a look at the gallery below to see some of our staff doing what they do best!