VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

ANIMAL KEEPER

• The animal keepers are entrusted with the cleanliness of cages, enclosures, animal houses, moats, their surroundings including removal of excreta, removing of weeds and bushes. They are involved with discouraging of teasing activities by the visiting persons or public. Tigers, lion tailed macaques, hippos, crocodiles, chimpanzees etc. are the frequently teased wild animal species.
• Reports on any damage to the structure of enclosure or cage are immediately made by these persons to the concerned range officers or other officials when they are visiting the enclosures, cages etc.
• Reports about anorectic wild animals or finding of wound on the wild animal’s body or any kind of visible sickness condition is immediately reported to the veterinarian in particular.
• They generally ensure that no materials remain in the animals vicinity that are likely to hurt the wild animal maintained under captive conditions like wire bits, mesh, ropes, plastic materials, sharp pieces, nails etc.
• Security of the cages or enclosures are given more priority by these group of personnel and they need to offer assistance during the treatment of wild animals by the zoo veterinarian and it is an accepted one that animal keepers are familiar with the habits and vices of the wild animals that are under direct care in the cages or enclosures.
• They offer information associated with birth, death, abnormality if any like intensive vomiting, diarrhoea etc.