Australia Zoo Placement 2023 Jess Macdonald by

Day 1 - 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-07 10:48:48 UTC

Today we met our supervisor Vicky at the volunteer office to get our shirts, hats and learn which department we were to work in today. I was put on Savannah (Africa) which i was excited for since i didn't work on that round last time i volunteered. I accidently headed to the wrong area to begin the day since i was given incorrect meeting point directions which made me late to start my shift and very embarrassed. Once i found the correct meeting place i was asked to find any Lemur poop on Bindi's Island and scoop it from the paths or areas visitors would frequent. Once i completed this i asked for more jobs where i was tasked with cleaning the Lemur night dens. This required me to collect any old browse i could see, clean water dishes, poop scoop and collect any food scraps from the previous night. I also had to do all of this for the Guinea Fowl enclosure. After this we had morning tea where i tried my hardest to be brave and chat to the keepers there, but a lot were on their phones. We had some cake since it was one keeper's birthday. After morning tea, we spent the next few hours until lunch cleaning the Boma (stable) for the Rhinos. This means raking up all left-over hay, so rats aren't a problem, scrubbing the concrete of saliva and mess since they are a grazing animal, cleaning sumps, scrubbing walls, weeding, dusting cobwebs and getting rid of water from puddles since it has been raining here in Queensland. This was back breaking work and i was very hot and bothered afterwards. Then it was lunch time. After lunch i assisted on Bindi's Island to watch the Lemurs and help with a couple's wedding photoshoot by getting the lemurs attention and keeping visitors back. That was pretty exciting, and the lady had a lovely dress. I also got to hold Prickle the echidnas food bowl as he stood on my leg and ate his lunch. Prickle is blind and was very cute. After supervising the lemurs for a bit longer i then got to go help with the Red Pandas lock up night routine. I was so lucky to get to hand feed some red pandas, they even held my hand as they grabbed the fruit and licked me. I was very fortunate. We then cleaned up their night dens, did the same for the lemurs that lived next to the pandas then called it a day. Today was focused on back of house and loads of cleaning. Attached is evidence of my 1st new species to work with in relation to my smart goals.

Day 2- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-07 10:49:41 UTC

Today started out so well. I was placed on Elephants and was very excited. The weather was terrible and raining on and off all day. I had to help clean out the barn of all the sand and poo that was left in there. We then poured some bleach on the floors and let that soak whilst we had morning tea. After we ate we then spent a few hours scrubbing the algae of the concrete in the barn which was extremely hard considering i did that for hours on my first day. I was so sore and tired today. To make matters worse i have really bad blisters on my feed which are making it hard to walk but i push through so i don't look bad in front of the keepers. After lunch we cleaned up some of the paddocks, put browse out and some enrichment. I put honey on fallen logs and trees for the elephants to find. To finish the day we cleaned the on-display area. We did nothing with the actual elephants today which was very disappointing. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.

Day 3- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-07 10:52:10 UTC

Today i was on the kangaroo round so i could have a rest from scrubbing concrete for a day. I started of by helping clean the Red Kangaroo rest area and the koala area in the roo walk through. I swept up poo and leaves then hosed the left overs and scraped the water off. I then went to do my first Quokka watch of the day. This meant looking out for snakes that could injure or eat the quokkas and making sure the visitors don't touch them by reaching over the barriers. There was a lot of standing around and doing nothing. Chatting with the visitors was fun though. I love educating people. I had morning tea then after that did a shift on Bindi's Island. This means standing and watching the lemurs and making sure visitors don't get too close or touch them. I also have to make sure that no one has food out because the lemurs will steal it and it can make them sick. My feet were getting very sore at this point. I was then asked to clean the Guinea Fowl enclosure which didn't take me long. I had lunch in the Crocoseum then did another shift of Quokka watch. I was then asked to look for a wallaby that was missing but i couldn't find it. I finished off the day by picking up kangaroo poo. Overall a very uneventful day but it was good to rest. Attached is evidence of my second new species i have worked with in regards to my smart goals.

Day 4- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-07 10:52:16 UTC

The day started as useual, check in with the volunteer coordinator but then i was sent to the Zoo Hospital. I didn't do this round last time i was here so i was excited to see what it looked like. The inside looks like a very large and fancy vet where you might take your dog or cat but they see all species here. Injured animals come in via rescue groups, the zoo or the general public. I was tasked with the job of cleaning out the koala enclosures and replacing their leaves. Cleaning their enclosures was a little different to what im used to because these are injured wild animals. They aren't used to people so there is the added risk they could climb onto you, jump onto you or attack you. None of this happened to me thankfully. When cleaning the enclosures i had to remove their water bowl and bowl of dirt (for extra minerals), scraped up poop and leaves, empty the pots of water the branches sit in, scrub the floors, move out the old branches and hose the floor. All of this had to be done for two sheds worth of koalas. In total i personally cleaned about 8-9 enclosures. We also had to do 2 full cleans which meant scrubbing everything in there. I was lucky enough to help set up a trap to catch a koala that was ready for release which was cool and i got to see some sea turtles that were in their recovery pools. Besides replacing branches, cleaning enclosures and general cleaning i didn't do much else. The only other interesting thing i did was collect some branches for 2 injured possums. A very relaxed and slightly boring day today. Hopefully, a more exciting day awaits me tomorrow.

SMART GOAL PROGRESS- so far i have worked with 1 new species, i have been asking daily how to work on something and asking for assistance. I will create a list of the things i have been asking tomorrow. I am waiting until my 2nd week to ask the keepers what i can work on but i have managed to secure a job interview next week at the zoo!

Day 5- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-07 10:52:31 UTC

Today i was on the bird department so i started the day assisting with some meal prep. Allie trusted me enough to make the protein part of the birds in Graces Bird Garden diet. I was given the recipe and i had to add all the parts correctly and mix it. I felt so professional. Once i had done that i spent another 30mins chopping up carrot and sweet potato to be steamed. I then did a shift in Bindi's Island where i chatted to one of the keepers for a while then supervised 'the boys' (lemurs) and kept people away from them. Then it was time for my break and after that i went into the bird garden for the rest of my shift. I spent 2hrs mulching which was very hard work. I was instructed to do a live insect feed and had to make sure specific birds got fed which was alot of responsibility. I also had tasks like cleaning the ponds, picking up dead leaves and scrubbing poo to keep me busy. To finish the day i did the dishes for the bird keepers then went home.

SMART GOALS THINGS I HAVE ASKED HELP ABOUT-

-if a koala is sitting on the branches that need to be removed, should we leave them and come back to it?

-should we not open the barn doors to create better ventilation when scrubbing with bleach?

-if the browse is still looking fresh is it ok if we leave that piece rather than waste it?

Day 7- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:04:14 UTC

Today i was in the Koala Walkthrough so i didn't get too dirty before my job interview. I begun my day by cleaning the glass windows down at the Tassie Devils and Wombats before heading to the walkthrough. When in the walk through you have to make sure people are touching the koalas low on their bottom because they have no nerve endings down there, so they can't feel it. But as usual people don't listen even when you tell them exactly what to do and where. So most of my day was telling people off politely and correcting them. In the morning there were huge crowds lining to pat the koalas. Each koala has a 30min slot where they get pats before it moves to another's turn. This is to make sure none are getting too stressed. It was incredibly hot today so the koalas were all very sleepy and exhausted. I had an interview for a keeping position at the zoo which i was very nervous and excited for. I think it went well. I made the interview panel laugh a few times and it was more about getting to know me rather than assessing my skills. So i feel pretty confident. Only time will tell.

Day 8- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:04:25 UTC

Today i was on REPTILES!!! My favourite department. I was so excited to be put on this one. To start the day i was tasked with helping clean out Roberts Reptile House before opening. I got to go into two exhibits to change the water, collect poo and urate as well as feed out some bugs to the lizards. I feed bearded dragons, yukka skinks, shingle backs and Fijian crested iguanas. Once i was done with that i was left to clean the lizard room which meant changing out the water and scrubbing the bowls, removing old browse, scrubbing the hides and cleaning any poop. Because i had done this before last year the team was very impressed i knew what to do and where things went. On our break Eugene remembered me and hugged me which made me feel so special and like i made a good impression last time. After break we went to do the Alligator Lagoon feed. This meant putting the massive tubs of beef muscle meat into the back of the van and all piling in because the whole team went. I was told to stay in between the 2 fences and pass over buckets of meat as the keepers went in and fed over 30 alligators. It was intimidating but also exciting to watch them feeding all these massive animals. They were just surrounded by the swamp puppies! Once we did that i assisted in getting Burmese Python to the hospital for emergency surgery to remove eggs that were stuck. I didn't get to hold her but i watched them sedate her before the procedure. Then it was time for the croc show. I was allowed to carry a Black Headed Python through the crowd which was so exciting and i felt really special and was able to show off my snake handling skills. We then had to get up top to watch Murray the big croc for the show come out and spot for the guys on the ground. This meant calling out where Murray was at all times to be safe. We then had lunch after the show, did some general cleaning and that was it for the day.

Day 9- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:05:45 UTC

Today i was back on the Africa Department so headed straight to Bindis island to get my day started. It was Robert Irwin's 20th Birthday today so the zoo opened earlier and was very busy. I helped the keeper by getting straight into poop scooping then cleaning out the guinea fowl night enclosure. I have done this a few times now so i felt very confident in getting it done alone. Once i did that i raked the entire area that needed to be done which are all the paths back of house and the edged of the lemur night dens. Then i thought i would help the keeper more by getting the night dens done. She was very impressed with my work ethic and thanked me for doing so much work. We had break then went out onto the savannah to feed the giraffes and rhinos. I got to stay in the ute but was right next to the giraffes. We had to help clean one of the night yards for the giraffe which was easy. Their poo is surprisingly small because they extract every last bit of nutrients from their food. Their browse branches are also huge, carrying them made me look tiny. After lunch we had a team meeting which lasted a while. I then helped close up the lemurs on the small island before spending the rest of the day on Bindis Island. When on there it is my responsibility to know where all the boys are at any time, make sure people aren't touching them or bringing food onto the island. Being so busy today the job was very tough. I have attached a husbandry manual of the lemurs since it is a new species i have been working with and part of my smart goals.

Day 6- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:06:37 UTC

I was in birds again today which i love. This time i had a new volunteer with me called Danial who i got to help teach things. We had to clear one of the brolgas ponds of duck weed which took ages but was super satisfying and looked amazing in the end. We made sure to tidy the hose and lock all the gates before moving on to the next task. We walked the brolgas get fed then went and did a Bindi's Island shift where i taught Danial what to do and look out for. It rained really hard today so all the people and lemurs ran for shelter. Then it was time for lunch and after that we went into Graces bird garden for a bit where again i informed Danial what to do. He was a very nice kid and it helped me remember stuff and learn through teaching him. We then got separated and he went to do food prep whilst i helped with the birds of prey show. I supervised the crowd and answered questions whilst they waited. When the show was over it rained again really hard and that made the rest of the day difficult. I mostly was asked to help tidy, do dishes and food prep for the remainder of the day.

Day 10- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:06:51 UTC

Back in kangaroos today. I started off cleaning the water tubs around the grey roo area and they were filthy. I could tell they hadn't been done in a few days which isn't good. So i scrubbed them really well. Once i did that i assisted the keeper in medicating some of the roos who have pain meds and supervised them whilst eating. This took a while but then we went and i did quokka watch for the first shift of the day. I got to go in with them which was pretty special. I was left alone for a while so had to weed in the quokka exhibit as well as scrub on my hands and knees with a brush, the quokka pond because that too had alot of algae. It looked pretty good when i was done and took ages to fill. Whilst i was in there people were making jokes about me missing a spot or that i was a weird looking quokka. It got old very quickly in the heat. It has been incredibly hot these past few days which has made everything so much harder. I am not used to the heat and working so hard has made me feel a bit sick in the stomach at times. I then went and had lunch but once i was back i helped another keeper clean out the quokka night dens before having my second break. When i returned to work i was on a bindi's island shift which is pretty easy. I am working on identifying which lemur is which. It is very hard because they all look very similar but i am trying really hard. I finished off the day helping the keeper close up roos by doing a perimeter check, counting all the animals and putting the quokkas to bed. They have to be locked away so snakes don't eat them.

Day 11- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:07:42 UTC

Second last day and yet again i was in birds. I love being in the bird department. I started my day by helping with some food prep for a male cassowary that has a chick. We had to cut up the fruit extra fine, as small as a pea because the male will feed the chick by mashing up the fruit. The keepers want to reduce the risk of the chick choking so cut it small. I was then put into the wetlands to help clean Fergo the cassowary's pond but we kept getting interrupted and had to stop and start by leaving the exhibit which was annoying. After break i was able to help get ready for the Croc show by going under the crocoseum and observing how it's all done. There is alot of very coordinated actiosn that have to happen for the show to run smoothly. Some of the birds did not do the correct action which happens so the keepers have to adjust what happens next accordingly. After this i had lunch then went to graces bird garden to teach another volunteer what we do in there before helping with the birds of prey show and again the birds were not cooperating. It was interesting to see and learn how the keepers have to improv and deal with an animal who is not doing what you ask. Finally i was able to help Amelia walk the 4 sheep back to their night yard which was fun. They wear dog harnesses and walk back so well. They had to do lots of training with them to achieve this. Once the sheep were away i helped clean dishes then finished for the day.

SMART GOALS-I have asked keepers for their feedback on how i have been going, they are going to submit the forms to vicky who will in turn pass them on to me for my assignment.

Day 12- 8hrs 30min

jessicam9pho — 2023-11-23 08:07:57 UTC

The last and final day has come and i was a bit sad today because i enjoy being in the zoo and doing placement. I didn't want it to end. I was so lucky to be put on the reptile team for my last day. I started the day by helping with Roberts Reptile house where i got the trolly ready, filled the O2 water to show i was proactive and showing intitiative. I cleaned the windows in there and cleaned up after the keepers. I offered to go into the lizard room and get started right away since i had done it before. I managed to do that pretty quick but had to ask a keeper to open the cages to the bearded dragons so i could service them. I think they were impressed by how fast and well i did the lizard room. We had break then after that i was asked to assist with the reptile demo down at the elongated tortoises enclosure. I got to handle Shingle Backed Lizards, a Woma Python and Elongated Tortoises whilst the keeper talked and i held them out for visitors to pat. I felt so confident and special being asked to do that. I helped put them back then we had to move some rocks to one of the Alligator enclosures for a while before the croc show. I held a black headed python again and roved through the crowd during the show which was so much fun, i love seeing all the people smiling and taking photos. Once Murray the croc was away safely we went for lunch. After lunch i assisted Chase a keeper with lock down and final checks of the crocs and their filter systems. This took a while as we had to do a few backwashes but i got to go out the back of alot of the croc areas and see them up close through the fences.

SMART GOAL- i have attached just 1 piece of evidence of feedback from keepers i have worked with. I have more and will attached all of them in the final assignment.