Gorilla Keeper Questions

What's a daily schedule like working with Gorillas? Like, how are their meals, activities, etc. planned out?

First thing we do is check on all the animals to make sure everyone is alive and healthy. Then we immediately train them and feed breakfast which is some veggies and some primate biscuits. Then we will clean the yard and toss out the majority of their food. Gorillas are foragers so we will scatter it all over the yard.We will also put enrichment out for them, this may include a novel food item, a toy or scent. Then we send them outside and clean their bedrooms. At the end of the day we will bring them inside, do some training and feed them the rest of their food.

What's your worst animal poo-related incident?

When a gorilla displays they are saying I'm a big, bad guy and you'd better steer clear of me if you know what's good for you. I'd rather not engage in fighting, so I'm sending you this message so you'll leave and we can avoid a fight" This typically involves them jumping at the glass, banging on the wall, beating their chest etc. I once had a gorilla throw its feces at me and cover the front of my body. As a keeper Im not suppose to react because then they will do it more so I just had to take it like the dirty whore I am.

Has a gorilla ever made you it's bitch?

This one kind of goes with the above question but I will use a different example. On my interview we went behind the scenes to meet the gorillas. We had 4 males at the time and they sat quietly while i entered and waited for me to get in the middle of the hallway. Then they all started banging the walls and screaming to try and intimidate me. I almost wet myself

Can you pet gorillas? if so are they soft?

Gorillas in most zoo are handled under protected contact, meaning there will always be a barrier between us. But when we train the gorillas I will touch their fur to search for any cuts or wounds sustained during the day. The arm hair is pretty coarse compared to their body hair which is much softer

How does one become a zoo keeper?

Get any 4 year science degree. I have my bachelors in physical anthropology with a focus on primate behavior. Also get your foot in the door of a zoological institution as soon as possible whether its volunteering or an internship (make sure its a good one, there are very bad zoos out there)

How many animals/species of animals do you care for?

My official title is gorilla/small mammal keeper. I care for 5 gorilla, 2 kangaroos, 3 wallabys, 2 ring-tailed lemurs, two lion-tailed macaques, 1 saki monkey, 1 golden head lion tamarin, 2 fishing cats, 1 tree kangaroo, 1 prevost squirrel, 2 black-footed cats, 1 two-toed sloth, 2 bats, 4 golden lion tamarins, 2 red-ruffed lemurs and 4 meerkats

What's the funniest or most bizarre experience you've had while working?

I once walked into our main gorilla viewing and saw our silverback against the glass masturbating at the people watching. Parents were shielding the childrens eyes like the devil was there himself. It was very entertaining

Whats the most annoying thing about your job?

Probably when I am cleaning the exhibit and I hear someone say "oh this must be the human exhibit" If they have kids then I'll fake laugh along but its pretty annoying. I hear it about 5 times a day. Also please dont take my picture, thats just weird.

What kind of training do you do with the gorillas?

All of our gorillas are trained to present body parts for medical examination. From tongue to toes the gorillas can present everything. They are also cardiac ultrasound trained so we can monitor their heart health. And some even know how to jump, clap and beat their chest

Whats the money like?

Just like my day is on a day to day basis. Shitty but when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. My job is very rewarding and I would never want to do anything else with my life