My First Week as a Zoo Intern

I have now been interning at the zoo for a week, and let me tell you….I LOVE IT! I work in the sea lion and river otter area, which also covers the Kookaburra area (currently occupied by pheasants and wallabies only because it's the middle of winter). 

I'd like to start with a huge shout out to Carhartt. My dad went all out and bought me a jacket and khakis from them, but like girl.....those khakis. We all know ladies khakis aren't necessarily geared towards the down and dirty working lifestyle, which is why many keepers end up getting men's pants. But the original fit crawford pant at Carhartt is LIFE! They have pockets and room for moving WHILE STILL MAKING MY BUTT LOOK GOOD! I showed up on my first day and had both the keepers working that day ask me where I got my pants! Ladies! You need these pants! (Tip for college students: They do student discounts!)

The Original Fit Crawford Pant from Carhartt

My Sea Lion Jobs:

So far I haven’t done too much with the sea lions. Every day I am tasked with doing the meal prep for the next day. I have to weigh out fish and squid into each of the sea lions meal buckets and then organize them back into the fridge. Yesterday I also learned how to clean the sea lion holding area.

My Kookaburra Jobs:

This is my favorite, because its an exhibit interns can do all on their own, and I’m around the animals. I have to prepare the diets for the wallabies and pheasants, and then clean their areas and provide fresh hay. While i'm cleaning my best friend Quan likes to follow me around.

My man Quan.

My River otter Jobs:

This is the section most of you are probably waiting for. I’ve learned how to weigh out their food in the mornings, so i'll probably be doing that more often now. Typically cleaning frozen feces and flinging it at myself was my extent of my work with the otters, but yesterday was an exciting day. I learned how to also clean otter holding, and once I completed all of the holding areas, I got to throw fish to the otters. This was so amazing and by far my favorite part of my internship. I go out into the public area of the zoo and fling frozen fish over the top of the enclosure for their lunch. They come right up to the window and it makes you feel special...even though I know they only want me for the fish.

One of our otters at the zoo.

Do any of you have experience in a zoo?! Leave a comment telling me all about it!