What degree do you need to be a Zookeeper?

Are you an animal lover? Want to build up your career in that field? You should go for building up your career as a zookeeper. As a zookeeper, you will be taking care of the animals and feeding them in zoos and Aquariums. But, What Degree do you need to be a Zookeeper?

Quick Takeaways

• There are no schools or colleges that offer a particular degree to become a zookeeper. 
• However, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in an animal-related field like zoology, wildlife biology, wildlife biology, etc. 
• You may get a low salary for being a zookeeper but you will always have a secure job in your hands.

However, you must read till the end to know about the degree you nee to become a Zookeeper in detail.

Skills Required to become a zookeeper

• To become a zookeeper you must have interpersonal skills to communicate with your team members. 
• Many times, you will face some difficult situations while dealing with different types of animals. Therefore, you should have good problem-solving skills.
• You must be a good observer.
• As this work needs a great amount of time to be invested, you must have good time management skills.
• Zookeepers are required to maintain records and documents of the animals they are working with. Therefore, you should have at least basic knowledge of computers.

What Degree do you need to be a Zookeeper? – How To Become A Zookeeper?

To become a zookeeper, you need to follow the following steps-

1. Getting the degree

Just like a nuclear engineer, you will also need a bachelor’s degree for becoming a zoo keeper. There are no schools or colleges that offer a particular degree to become a zookeeper. However, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in an animal-related field like zoology, wildlife biology, wildlife biology, etc. Some programs may allow you to choose a specialization in animal behaviour, aquatic, biology, etc.

Colleges linked to the local zoo may give you an associate’s degree related to zoo technology. Each program offered has its specialization, therefore choose the program once you are sure about it. You can also try to go for a 6-month associate degree that can help you to get more knowledge about animals and zoology.

2. Experience

The Sooner, you begin getting the experience better are chances to land your dream job. Zookeeper is a profession that requires experience in working with animals. There are many animal centres and shelters where you can volunteer or do an internship.

This will help you to get some experience in taking care of animals. The animals you will work with depend upon where you will pursue your bachelor’s from. Getting experience also increases your chances of getting valuable job referrals. 

3. Getting Expert 

Having experience will help you to get specialized knowledge of the work. This means that once you get the position of a zookeeper, you can advance your position. Senior-level jobs required a lot of time and patience. Being a zookeeper means that you will be working closely with the animals. Therefore, you can engage yourself in doing research and learning more about that particular species. 

Key Responsibilities of being a Zookeeper

• Maintaining and taking care of the health of the animals
• Feeding the animals
• Educating people about the habits and knowledge of various animals
• Cleaning the surroundings where the animals live
• Maintaining the records of the documents of the animals they are working with
• Training them for various activities
• Helps in providing medical care facilities to the animals
• Coordinating with other zookeepers 
• Researching to get more knowledge about the animal they are working with
• Giving training to the new zookeepers

Advantages Of Being A Zookeeper

After completing the degree you need to be a zookeeper, what are the advantages of that degree? Let us take a close look at that. The two very important advantages of being a Zookeeper are –

1. Getting to know more about various animals

If you are an animal lover, then this job is for you. Being a zookeeper, you would get to know more about various animals. It becomes your responsibility to take care of the animals at the place where you work. Being a zookeeper, you will be working with zoologists and veterinarians. It will help you in understanding the changes in animal behavior and monitor animal health.

2. Job Security

People have started enjoying themselves with animals and are now spending more on pet care. This has resulted in the slow popularity of zoos and has increased the demand for zookeepers. According to the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics(BLS), openings for animal care service workers can increase by 22% by the end of 2029. This means that there would be 68,800 new projected job openings in this field.

3. New Adventures

With every new day, you will get a lot of adventurous experiences. Most of the zookeepers are on an outdoor trek to study different animals. Also, sometimes you may have to work with some television channels to teach people about animal habits. Some students generally miss out on planning their schedule, you can use a student planner to plan out your student life easier.

Disadvantages of being a Zookeeper

After getting the degree you need to be a zookeeper, what are the disadvantages of that degree? Let us take a close look at that. The two very important drawbacks of being a Zookeeper are –

1. Low Salary

One of the biggest drawbacks of it is that it does not pay a high salary. According to the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics(BLS), the average annual salary of a zookeeper is about $27,060. It also states that 50% of the total zookeepers earn between $21,200 to $30,070. Though, the salary varies from state to state.

2. Sudden Animal Attacks

Even with a lot of training in the last few months, there are chances that you might get attacked by the animals you are working with. If you are away from other people, then there is a risk of death since no one will be able to assist them with emergency medical care.

3. Environmental Hazards

In an extreme environment, there are high chances of you getting dehydrated. If you are working in a non-familiar place then it may be difficult for you to find clean food or water. Sometimes, you may also feel emotional distress.

Overtime

A zookeeping job is not an easy job. Animals need care all the time. Therefore, you may have to work 24/7. 

Conclusion

What Degree do you need to be a Zookeeper? We hope we have answered this question successfully in this article. If you are also wondering, “What Degree do you need to be a Zookeeper?” then as a zookeeper, you have to take care of the animals in zoos, aquariums, or any such organization. To get into this degree you need to have a bachelor’s degree in life science which has coursework like zoology, biology, etc. This career may not have a great level of salary and it may be risky but it provides unique opportunities to work.