Topic outline

  • So You Want to Work in a Zoo...

    This page is for students who are considering a career in zoo animal management or zoo education. We are frequently asked how we got into zoos and what students need to do if they want to follow in our footsteps.

    So You Want to Work in a Zoo...

    • How to Get a Job as a Zookeeper

      One of the regular questions we get asked is how to begin a career in Zoo Animal Management, so here is a quick guide on how to become a Zookeeper.

      So, you’ve decided you want to be a Zookeeper…

      That’s exciting! Being a zookeeper is a very interesting and diverse career, but don’t expect to spend all your time playing with monkeys and cuddling koalas. You will spend a lot of time working outside carrying out hard physical labour and the job is often be cold, wet, and smelly! Caring for zoo animals requires a passion for wildlife but can be described as an exercise in restrained enthusiasm. You must care for animals enough to do what is best for them and their species rather than what would be fun. We cannot treat our animals as pets because our goal is to conserve species and encourage the propagation of natural behaviours so that animals we breed for reintroduction programmes are not too tame to survive in the wild. You will spend large portions of your time checking enclosures for damage, repairing enclosure furnishings, recording animal welfare, and cleaning up poo! As you progress in your career you may also spend significant time in front of a computer updating animal records and managing species collections. If you enjoy these things this will be an incredibly rewarding career.

      Some of our keepers spend significant time engaging with the public, telling visitors about the animals in our collection and about the conservation work we conduct and raising social awareness about the need to protect our planet’s wildlife.

      Leading and encouraging conservation and promoting change in the way we treat the environment are important parts of zookeepers’ roles. If you are prepared to get dirty and smelly and work long hard hours and have a passion for wildlife this may be the job for you!

      There are, however, thousands of others who also want to work with zoo animals and zookeeper positions are highly competitive. As a result, you will need to do your best throughout school, college and university and will often need to obtain significant volunteer and work placement experience in animal care and conservation environments. There is also a high probability that you will need to gain work experience through a number of short-term seasonal contracts before landing a permanent position. You should also expect the pay to be quite low, as many zoos are run by charities and most funding will go toward the upkeep of the animals and conservation projects. Nevertheless, this is a very rewarding career if you are persistent enough.

      How to become a Zookeeper

      GCSEs

      Start by working as hard as you can to get the best GCSE results possible. The subjects you need are the Sciences (especially Biology), English and Maths. Other qualifications that would be helpful are I.T.C, Geography and Foreign languages.

      Further Education/Mature Students

      The best option is to look ahead at the university you would like to attend, and the entry requirements for that course. Many will require you to have one of the following:

      • AS and A levels: Biology is the most important Science you need to take, and if it is available at your school or college you should take Zoology. Maths, Geography, Computing or Psychology can also be useful subjects. Whatever you choose, at least two Sciences are recommended if you would like to go on to study a zoo related degree.

      If A Levels aren’t for you, or if you have not studied Science at school but are interested in a career change, a good starting point would be one of the following options:

      • Access Course:  Access to Higher Education courses in Science are designed for mature students who need to pick up qualifications to get into university.
      • BTEC/Applied Science or an animal care related course:  A BTEC Foundation Diploma in Applied Science will allow students to gain UCAS points to put towards a university course.
      • HND In Animal Care
      • Trainee Keepers will often complete a recognised academic qualification in animal care while working in their first zoo roles

       

      University

      A university degree is not always required, but in an increasingly competitive field it does help. Subjects like Biology, Zoology, Animal Management, Environmental Science, and Ecology are all useful for those wishing to pursue careers in zoos.

      You can go straight to university from school, but do not be afraid to take a gap year so that you can reflect on what career route you would like to take. If you are unsure whether Zoo Animal Care is for you, you may want to consider doing another Science based course, such as Biological Sciences, Environmental Science or Ecology. It will however still allow you to acquire skills which are completely transferable. Your school, college or local careers service should be able to help you find the right higher level institution for your needs.

      During your degree, you may want to consider attending some zoological or conservation conferences. These provide great opportunities for networking, meeting current zoo staff and finding out more about different routes you can take. Volunteering alongside your studies in an establishment which specialises in animal care and management is also an excellent way to make your CV stand out when you leave university.

      What can you be doing now?

      Start by exploring your passion in Wildlife and Zoo Animal Care! This can be done in a number of ways:

      • Getting involved in local beach cleans or litter picks, wildlife spotting tours, and rambles is great fun and allows you to acquire useful skills and knowledge. 
      • You can further your knowledge by joining conservation societies, which will keep you up to date with interesting developments in the field. You could also become a member of a zoo.
      • Consider completing some work experience or an internship in a zoo. Edinburgh Zoo, and others offer work experience opportunities for students over the age of 18 in the Discovery and Learning Team, and zoos sometimes will offer internships which in animal husbandry as well.
      • Volunteering is extremely useful for broadening your experience in this field. It not only shows you have a passion for animal care and conservation, but helps you to make contacts too. Many zoos and aquariums offer volunteering opportunities. You could even try volunteering abroad!

      • How to Become a Zoo Educator

        One of the regular questions we get asked is how to begin a career in Zoo-based education, so here is a quick guide on how to become a Zoo Education Officer.

        So, you’ve decided you want to be a Zoo Educator…

        That’s exciting! Being an Education Officer in a zoo is a very interesting and diverse career, but don’t expect to spend all your time engaging with animals and sharing your passion for animals with visitors. You will spend a lot of time in front of a computer conducting research, developing lessons, and managing events, as well as significant time managing student behavioural issues. You will also have to be prepared to work outside whenever the situation demands it, so you may spend a significant amount of time being cold and wet. Teaching in a zoo requires a passion for wildlife but requires a significant amount of restraint and the ability to think about animal care and conservation with a critical rather than purely emotional mindset. You must be able to understand that rules and practices in zoos are designed to do what is best for the animals and their species rather than what would be fun or exciting for humans. We cannot treat our animals as pets because our goal is to conserve species and encourage the propagation of natural behaviours so that animals we breed for reintroduction programmes are not too tame to survive in the wild. You will spend a significant amount of time engaging with students of all levels, telling them about the animals in our collection and about the conservation work we conduct and raising social awareness about the need to protect our planet’s wildlife.

        Encouraging conservation and promoting change in the way we treat the environment are important parts of Education Officers’ roles. If you are prepared to work long hours, both indoors and outdoors, and have a passion for wildlife this may be the job for you!

        There are, however, thousands of others who also want to work with zoo animals and zoo educator positions are highly competitive. As a result, you will need to do your best throughout school, college and university and will often need to obtain significant volunteer and work placement experience in teaching and conservation environments. You should also expect the pay to be significantly lower than teaching in a school setting, as many zoos are run by charities and most funding will go toward the upkeep of the animals and conservation projects. You may also need to work a series of short term contracts before landing a permanent position. Nevertheless, this is a very rewarding career! Just be persistent!

        How to become an Education Officer at a zoo

        GCSE/National 5

        Start by working as hard as you can to get the best possible results in your GCSE/National 5 exams or equivalent. It will help to have taken the Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), English and Maths. Other qualifications that would be helpful are I.T.C, Geography, and Foreign languages.

        Further Education/Mature Students

        The best option is to look ahead at the university you would like to attend, and the entry requirements for that course. Many will require you to have one of the following:

        • AS and A levels: Biology is the most important Science you need to take, and if it is available at your school or college you should take Zoology. Maths, Geography, Computing or Psychology can also be useful subjects. Whatever you choose, at least two Sciences are recommended if you would like to go on to study a zoo related degree.

        If A Levels aren’t for you, or if you have not studied Science at school but are interested in a career change, a good starting point would be one of the following options:

        • Access Course: City College Plymouth runs an Access to Higher Education course in Science, which is designed for mature students.
        • BTEC/Applied Science or an animal care related course: City College Plymouth also runs a BTEC Foundation Diploma in Applied Science, allowing students to gain UCAS points to put towards a university course.
        • HND In Animal Care

        University

        Biology, Zoology, Animal Management, Environmental Science, Ecology

        You can go straight to university from school, but do not be afraid to take a gap year so that you can reflect on what career route you would like to take. If you are unsure whether Zoo Animal Care is for you, you may want to consider doing another Science based course, such as Biological Sciences, Environmental Science or Ecology. It will however still allow you to acquire skills which are completely transferable. Your school, college or local careers service should be able to help you find the right higher level institution for your needs.

        During your degree, you may want to consider attending some zoological or conservation conferences. These provide great opportunities for networking, meeting current zoo staff and finding out more about different routes you can take. Volunteering alongside your studies in an establishment which specialises in animal care and management is also an excellent way to make your CV stand out when you leave university.

        What can you be doing now?

        Start by exploring your passion in Wildlife and Zoo Animal Care! This can be done in a number of ways:

        • Getting involved in local beach cleans, wildlife spotting tours, and rambles along is great fun and allows you to acquire useful skills and knowledge. 
        • You can further your knowledge by joining conservation societies, which will keep you up to date with interesting developments in the field. You could also become a member of a zoo.
        • Consider completing some work experience or an internship in a zoo. Edinburgh Zoo, and others offer work experience opportunities for students over the age of 18 in the Discovery and Learning Team, and you can gain experience in husbandry through carrying out an internship in some organisations.
        • If you have completed at least two years of university and have some teaching experience you may be able to apply for short-term roles such as holiday camp teacher roles to gain experience teaching in a zoo environment.
        • Volunteering is extremely useful for broadening your experience in this field. It not only shows you have a passion for animal care and conservation, but helps you to make contacts too. Many zoos and aquariums offer volunteering opportunities. You could even try volunteering abroad!