amber flewitt
Zookeeper at Chester Zoo
Tell us a bit about your current job.
I am a zookeeper at Chester Zoo, and I mainly look after the invertebrates which includes butterflies, snails and spiders. I have been in this role since June 2018. As well as looking after the animals day to day needs, I also help to run some of their breeding programmes, which involves carefully selecting which animals to breed from and creating the best conditions for breeding to take place. I’ll then separate the offspring into a different habitats for rearing – which is usually very delicate and time-consuming due to their small sizes – and raising them to adulthood. Some of these species are destined for release back in to the wild, so a lot of considerate planning is involved. From working out how many we can send back, designing custom made crates to transport the animals, planning the route and how to ensure their needs will be met along the way to the best course of action for them once they reach their destination. Other aspects of the job include designing and building new exhibits, writing “best practice guidelines” for other institutions to follow, carrying out research within the zoo to improve husbandry practices and presenting at conferences to share knowledge of things that are going on in the zoo.
What and where did you study after school?
I did A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths, and then went straight on to study BSc Wildlife Biology at the Manchester Metropolitan University. I went straight from my undergrad to doing a part time MSc in Zoo Conservation Biology at the same uni, which I have only just finished and managed to gain a distinction in!
How did you get from answer 2 to answer 1?
During my A-levels I got a bit of work experience at a local exotic pet shop, which really spurred on my love for smaller exotic animals. My undergrad degree included a year-long sandwich placement, and I managed to gain a coveted place with Chester Zoo as a herpetology intern keeper for a year, no doubt thanks to my work experience. I worked ever so hard during this year, trying to be as helpful as possible and get stuck in to any task, using my initiative wherever I could. As it was part of my university course, I also had to complete a research project whilst on my year out, and the staff there trusted me enough to let me work with the Komodo dragons - even though they are highly dangerous. My research ended up being really important and is currently being written into the best practice guidelines for the species as well as a research paper and has been presented at various industry conferences. I went back to finish my degree, and kept an eye out for job vacancies. Unfortunately at the time there was no zookeeper vacancies going, but I did apply for a zoo ranger role at Chester Zoo, which involves informal education of visitors of all ages around the zoo, in various different formats. It required a high level of knowledge of animals and conservation, but was largely customer service skills based, and due to my experience as a waitress I’d had from age 15, I was offered the job. This role gave me a lot of experience in public speaking and boosted my knowledge of many kinds of animals, but it also kept me in touch with the keeper team, and when a keeper role came up on my previous section, I was lucky enough to be offered it after being a zoo ranger for two years.
How does your formal education feed into your present career (if at all)?
In terms of direct knowledge, I wouldn’t say my formal education benefits me on a day-to-day basis. A lot of my undergrad degree was looking at behaviour and social-systems of animals and conservation issues in the wild; and whilst this would be very beneficial to most mammal keepers and ecologists, it doesn’t come in entirely useful when looking after species that don’t have very complex social-systems or behaviours to contend with. However, both of my degrees gave me many useful skills that I couldn’t have gained anywhere else, mainly to do with research applications. If I am presented with a problem at work to do with one of the animals (for example, the parasitic wasps were producing many more males than females and we didn’t know why), then I have the skills necessary to rectify the situation. In this case I did an investigative literature search of anything similar to do with the species or other related species, and then formulated my own mini experiment where I changed some factors to do with how we keep them, and carefully recorded the outcomes. From this I was able to use statistical software to scientifically analyse the results, and offer an evidence based explanation and solution to the problem, which soon resulted in us having many more female wasps hatching out. This was only possible due to the skills I gained from my degrees. These research skills open more opportunities in the field than would be possible without a degree, and have also led to me being able to help carry out research in animals native habitats to the benefit of the entire species.
What things have you learnt outside of formal education that have been helpful to your career?
I have always taken any opportunity that I can to widen my skillset as much as possible. I did a week long course on enrichment for zoo animals which was really useful, and it even taught me a lot about using power tools and building things that I couldn’t do beforehand. I also think that doing my internship was the greatest insight for me as to what the job entailed. Without this direct experience, I wouldn’t have got to where I am now. An internship or volunteer experience is the best experience you can get, and done well can get you straight into a job. This industry is highly competitive to get in to, so really use that chance to network and make a good impression, as it’s often not what you know, but who you know.
What are the really useful skills for someone in your job to possess?
First and foremost - you have to be ridiculously passionate about animals and about wanting to help to shape a better future for wildlife. It’s a tough field to get in to and the job in itself is challenging, so you really have to want to do it. You have to be resilient enough to get through the knock-backs whilst trying to get to where you want to be. Perseverance is key and if you show enough dedication and hard work you will get there. Other skills such as power-tool training, driving large vehicles such as tractors, browse identification, and being confident in public speaking to do keeper talks or conference presentations will all gain points on your CV and help you land the role. Animal behaviour and training experience or knowledge will also be really useful for most zookeepers, so even working with dogs can be relevant. Excellent observation and attention to detail are also a must for any zookeeper, to enable you to spot any changes in your animals and ensure a safe working environment.
What does an average day at work look like for you?
Each day varies when working with animals, but generally every morning we need to get the zoo ready for opening before 10:30am, so it’s an early start! We will go round all the different animal houses checking on all the animals, feeding and watering them and making everything look good for the visitors. We let out the butterflies that have emerged each morning into the butterfly house which is one of my favourite jobs. Once the zoo is open, we concentrate more on the off-show areas, with more feeding and cleaning of habitats, collecting wild browse and checking for newly laid eggs, which may need setting up safely somewhere. In the afternoon we may catch up on other jobs such as building new exhibits, counting the animal populations, updating records, doing any research work that’s going on, or sorting the butterfly pupae. Occasionally we get to spend days out in the field or at other zoos for training too, and we also host kids clubs and “keeper for a day” where we let people get involved in our work. We do one final check of all the animals before locking up usually between 5-6pm.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Nothing will ever beat seeing animals you have bred being released in to the wild - this really is a career goal for most zookeepers! Although this doesn’t happen incredibly often due to the difficulties associated with having a safe place in the wild for animals to go back to, but a more common highlight is finally getting a species to breed for the first time. This may be a highly endangered species or even a species that has never bred before in your care, so seeing babies for the first time and knowing that your hard work has paid off really is an amazing feeling. Working in a zoo that is ultimately working to prevent extinction and being surrounded by cute animals is really is good motivation on hard days.
What’s your least favourite aspect of your job?
Predictably working with thousands of animals does mean you’re going to encounter deaths relatively often, and when you’re working so closely with these animals every day it’s hard not to get attached and take it personally. You just have to remind yourself that you gave these animals the best life possible under your care and that their life was meaningful – they may have been part of a breeding programme for endangered species or they may have caused a connection with a visitor that ignited them to take action in conservation and help to make the world a better place.
What advice would you give to someone seeking a job like yours?
Don’t expect the path to where you want to get to, to be straightforward. You might not get your dream job straight away, you might not work with the species that you want to at first, you might have to move away for a few years to get more experience, but if you are committed enough you will get there. Take any opportunity that you can, even if you don’t think it’s entirely relevant, and make the most out of any experience you have. Use your initiative, ask lots of questions and think outside the box. Don’t expect that your day to day job will involve lots of cuddling animals, because it won’t! It’s tough, manual work outside in all weather, every day of the year including weekends and Christmas. Start off by getting some experience at a local animal shelter or vet practice and look for volunteering opportunities at local zoos. Show your dedication to these roles and soon more doors will open for you - just keep a positive attitude. Going to university really made my career what it is now so I’d definitely recommend getting a relevant degree if you’re able to. Build your skill set along the way to make yourself as employable as possible. It’s a highly rewarding career for someone who loves animals as much as me!
Follow Amber on Instagram at @amberflew2
You might also be interested in: