Native fauna keeper, Auckland Zoo

Michelle Whybrow says the best part of her job at the zoo is forming a bond or relationship with the animals. Picture / Martin Sykes

Name: Michelle Whybrow
Age: 27
Role: Keeper in the native fauna section, Auckland Zoo
Working hours: 8am-4.30pm and every second weekend on the roster, so seven days on, two off, three on, two off.
Average pay: A trainee keeper: $29,500; a senior keeper: $41,939
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science in biology and marine science and National Certificate in Captive Wild Animals from Unitec. 


 Describe how you got this job?

Through doing the national certificate course. It is run with Unitec and the zoo. You do the theory with Unitec and then get practical work experience at the zoo, working on all sections.

About halfway through that course I got part-time work in the primate section and then about six months [ago] I became full-time.

The course is called something different [now], Certificate in Animal Management Captive Wild Animals, and is full-time.

Describe what you do?


Most of the day is spent cleaning out enclosures and feeding out and doing a lot of food preparation and dishes. We also do enclosure maintenance. On top of that is enrichment, training and presenting public encounters as well.

The natives we have got in my section are North Island brown kiwi, tuatara, blue duck, brown teal, North Island kokako, North Island kaka, and kea.

We are busier in the breeding season. In summer we are involved in incubation of eggs, hand-raising animals and releasing them.

What sort of training or experience do you need?

There is no set prerequisite but the Certificate in Animal Management Captive Wild Animals is sort of becoming a prerequisite. You either have to have done it or be willing to do it in your first year.

It helps to have any experience with animals. It doesn't have to be exotic animals, but domestic as well.

What skills and qualities do you need?

Being a team player is pretty important as well as being enthusiastic and flexible. Of course, having a love of animals and an interest in conservation, as that is where zoos are heading these days.

What have you had to do to succeed at this job?

Probably the biggest thing is being hard-working and being dedicated.

What is the best part of the job?

Forming a bond or relationship with the animals. It definitely makes everything else worthwhile and on this section, the native fauna section, you really feel as if you are making a difference as well.

We release native animals back into the wild so you really feel like you are achieving something.

Something else I enjoy is being on the Conservation Fund committee. It's a fund started by keepers a few years ago.

We raise money to support projects in the wild in New Zealand and overseas, such as Sumatra orang-utans and turtle and tortoise rescue in Vietnam.

You also get the chance to work overseas with animals that are not necessarily in the zoo. I went to West Africa last year, to Cameroon for six weeks, and worked at the Limbe Wildlife Centre, a primate centre.

What is the most challenging part?

Being so busy and trying to fit everything you have to do into one day.

How do you define success in this job?

I think it is down to personal satisfaction. For this section, the hand-raising and breeding of the animals and release into the wild.

What are your career hopes for future?

I want to keep moving up the levels and get to keeper level three or possibly to senior keeper. There are only so many senior keeper jobs available, so if the chance is there, that is something I would like to go to.

If I wanted a job like yours how would I go about it and what qualifications would I need?

Get as much animal experience as you can. Whether it is volunteering at a kennel or cattery or at the SPCA. Those general animal husbandry things help a lot.

I would definitely recommend trying to get into that Certificate in Animal Management as well.

And working on those volunteering type things would help you to get on to the course, showing you are genuine and dedicated and enthusiastic about animals.

What advice would you have for someone contemplating a career like yours?

Be willing and be aware that it is a lot of hard work, but if you put a lot in, you get a lot out.

The rewards are amazing if you are willing to be dedicated.