Rhino conservation

Jason, the senior rhino keeper

Jason

How did you become a keeper?

I started on a Youth Training Scheme in 1985.

What other animals do you look after?

I'm senior keepers for carnivores, mandrills and rhinos.

What is the best thing about your job?

The environment that I work in and the great animals that I have worked with.

What is the worst?

When we are understaffed and too busy to the enjoy the job.

       _______________________________________________________

Lucy loves the one to one relationship

Lucy

How did you become a keeper?

By meeting people when I came to Paignton Zoo to do 'Keeper for a Day'.

What is Sita Like?

Sometimes Sita is aggressive, but she's much calmer than she used to be. She's very quick on her feet and a bit jumpy especially around branches and new things in the enclosure. These days she's very happy to be made a fuss of by the keepers.

What is Kingo like?

Kingo is very relaxed and friendly, although he does have his moments and some things can really upset him. He's much bigger than Sita. He spends a lot of his time lying down and likes lots of attention. 

What is Sita's routine?

She's shut out of the house mid-morning for cleaning and brought back in a couple of hours later for her food. She potters about all day, but stays inside more when it's cold.

What other animals do you look after?

Asiatic lions, Sumatran tigers, wolves, cheetah and mandrills.

What's the best thing about your job?

One to one relationships with the animals.

What is the worst thing about your job?

When it's cold and your hands hurt.

       _______________________________________________________

Louise loves her work at the zoo

Louise

How did you become a keeper?

After travelling I went back to college and did a National Diploma in animal care. As part of my work experience I came to Paignton Zoo for 12 weeks and absolutely loved it. There happened to be a vacancy at the end and I haven't looked back.

What is Sita Like?

Sita is feisty, aggressive, suspicious, temperamental - all things a black rhino should be like. But she can also be quite gentle and friendly (in the right mood) and she is very pretty with her long eye lashes.

What is Kingo like?

The complete opposite of Sita! He is very laid back, quite lazy and loves attention...and apples!

What is Sita's routine?

She is becoming more inactive as her pregnancy progresses. So at the moment she goes out for her breakfast in the paddock every morning while we clean the house and she comes in after lunch for the rest of her food. She tends to stay inside after that , although she can go outside if she wants to. Sita is now being shut in at night in readiness for the birth.

What other animals do you look after?

Sumatran tigers, Asiatic lions, cheetah, wolves and mandrills.

What's the best thing about your job?

Waking up and wanting to go to work with so many amazing and endangered animals and playing a part in their conservation.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Plucking chickens at 8am inn the morning and when animals die.