What is a Zookeeper Assistant?
Zookeeping involves animal care, animal behavior, conservation and education. As such, keepers are required to do a variety of tasks and perform many roles while always putting the welfare of the animals first. These tasks include cleaning, feeding, watering, exercising and/or training the animals under the direct supervision of one or more higher-ranking zookeepers. The term “zookeeper” can apply to a variety of positions at a facility, depending on its size and staffing capabilities. Job titles can range from general curator to animal-care supervisor to animal keeper to zookeeper assistant. In some zoos, zookeeper assistants are sometimes considered entry-level zookeepers.
Animal Behavior College’s Zookeeper Assistant Program teaches you the skills necessary to become a successful zookeeper assistant. The program is packed full of information about the care of exotic animals, including, animal health, animal behavior and training, conservation and breeding programs, safety and career building.
Become and ABC Certified Zookeeper Assistant
Can you see yourself bottle feeding a tiger cub? Do you want to be part of the conservation efforts of endangered species? If you answered, yes, to either of these questions, you are a great candidate for enrollment in our Zookeeper Assistant Program.
As a school specializing in animal career training programs, this unique course will provide you with the education and certification that will help you stand out when interviewing for volunteer and employment opportunities at both zoos and wildlife rehabilitation facilities.
Where Can Zookeeper Assistants Work?
Zookeeper assistants have the knowledge and experience to work or volunteer with exotic animals in various capacities. Opportunities for graduates of the Zookeeper Assistant Program include:
- Zoos
- Wildlife sanctuaries and parks
- Wildlife rescue organizations
- Theme parks
- Aquariums
- Animal Ranches
- Exotic animal hospitals and veterinary facilities
- Animal conservation and research organizations
There are literally thousands of exotic animal exhibitors throughout the United States. As students progress through their studies we will share this list to help you with employment opportunities. Please note that no school can offer employment guarantee. Although we are there to assist you with your education, Animal Behavior College can make no promises or guarantees about employment.
How to Become a Zookeeper
In order to land a zookeeper job at a larger zoo, such as the San Diego Zoo, the Bronx Zoo, the St. Louis Zoo or the Woodland Park Zoo, applicants will likely need a higher level of education such as a Bachelors or Masters degree.
Common degrees that many large-scale zoos require include zoology, animal biology, zoo technology, animal health, zoo management, ecology and some species-specific degrees such as primatology. These degrees are usually costly and time consuming. They are also challenging subjects for many and often require a student’s full attention, making it difficult to balance work and school successfully. These are options you could pursue once you are certain that a zookeeping career is right for you and you desire to work as a zookeeper in a large-scale zoo.
Having a certification such as one from Animal Behavior College’s Zookeeper Assistant Program can be the first step in exploring a career in zookeeping in a small to mid-level zoo or wildlife sanctuary. This will give you the opportunity to see if a zookeeping career is the right path for you.
Call our Admissions team to learn more about zoo careers and start your zookeeper education today 800-795-3294