Ask a classroom of children what they want to be when they grow up, and you'll hear an answer that's as timeless as childhood itself: "I want to work at a zoo!"

For many people, that dream eventually gives way to another path. For the Animal Care team members at the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds, it became a profession grounded in science, conservation, and an enduring commitment to wildlife.

Guests see the results of that work every day, even if they don't realize it. A polar bear investigates a new scent trail. An elephant calf eagerly participates in a training session. A giraffe stretches toward fresh browse. Those moments feel effortless because of the people who quietly planned for them long before guests arrived.

Every healthy animal, every inspiring encounter, and every conservation success story begins with people who chose to turn a childhood dream into life's work.

A Career Built on Curiosity

The term zookeeper is familiar to many people, but the profession encompasses a broad range of responsibilities that extend well beyond what many people realize. 

Animal Care professionals wear many hats. Team members prepare specialized diets, maintain habitats, create enrichment, observe behavior, collaborate with veterinarians, document animal health, and help animals voluntarily participate in their own healthcare through positive reinforcement training. Every responsibility serves the same purpose: providing exceptional care while supporting conservation, education, and animal wellbeing. It’s a set of responsibilities that they take great pride in.

"Caring for animals at The Wilds comes with unique opportunities and responsibilities. Our Animal Management teams care for herds across vast pastures while still providing individualized care every day. That takes incredible observation, teamwork, and dedication,” said Dr. Joe Greathouse, Vice President of The Wilds. “Whether someone cares for animals at The Wilds, the Columbus Zoo, or another accredited zoological facility, they share the same commitment to animal wellbeing and conservation. National Zookeeper Week is a wonderful opportunity to recognize their work, but we're grateful every day of the year for the expertise, compassion, and dedication they bring to the animals in their care.”

The work also requires a mindset of curiosity. Animal Care team members spend their careers learning the personalities, behaviors, and preferences of the animals they care for, recognizing that every individual has their own story to tell. Those daily observations help shape decisions both large and small, from adjusting an enrichment plan to recognizing subtle changes that may prompt a closer health evaluation.

The Small Things Matter

One of the remarkable qualities shared by Animal Care professionals is their ability to notice what others might overlook.

A favorite enrichment item left untouched. A bird choosing a different perch. A gorilla spending a little longer foraging for food with the rest of their troop. On their own, these moments may seem ordinary. Together, they help paint a picture of an animal's health, comfort, and overall wellbeing.

That level of awareness develops through experience and consistency. While guests may spend a few minutes enjoying a habitat, Animal Care team members build relationships over months and years, allowing them to understand each animal as an individual. It's knowledge that can't be found in a textbook alone. It comes from showing up every day, asking questions, paying attention, and never taking the little things for granted.

Trust Is Earned

Some of the most impactful moments in Animal Care happen quietly.

Positive reinforcement training allows many animals to voluntarily participate in their own healthcare. Depending on the species, that may include presenting an ear for a blood draw, stepping onto a scale, offering a flipper for an ultrasound, or remaining calmly in position during a routine examination. These behaviors don't happen by chance. They're developed through patience, trust, and consistency, creating positive experiences for the animals while giving Animal Care and Conservation Medicine teams valuable opportunities to monitor their health.

Trust is earned one interaction at a time. Every successful training session reflects a relationship built on respect—one that benefits both the animals and the professionals who care for them.

"When I started my career in Animal Care, I thought success would be measured by the big moments," said Adam Felts, Senior Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation Medicine. "Over time, I realized it's usually the quiet ones. It's noticing a subtle change in behavior, celebrating a training milestone that took months to achieve, or watching an animal choose to participate because you've earned its trust. Those moments remind you why this work matters, and I'm incredibly proud of the people who make them possible every day."

Learning Never Ends

Every care team member arrives with a passion for wildlife, but passion is only the beginning. Building a career in Animal Care requires education, training, collaboration, and a willingness to keep learning.

Before independently caring for animals, every Animal Care team member completes extensive training. From there, learning continues throughout their career as they work alongside experienced colleagues, veterinarians, nutrition experts, researchers, and conservation partners. New research, evolving animal care practices, and the animals themselves continue to shape that learning every day.

It's a profession built on asking questions, sharing knowledge, and always looking for ways to provide the highest standard of care.

A Calling Worth Celebrating

National Zookeeper Week offers an opportunity to recognize the people whose dedication helps make every visit extra memorable, but their impact reaches well beyond a single week on the calendar.

Every day, Animal Care team members bring knowledge, patience, and compassion to their work. They celebrate milestones that guests may never see, solve challenges that rarely make headlines, and continually adapt to meet the needs of the animals in their care. Their expertise strengthens conservation efforts, advances animal wellbeing, and creates the unforgettable connections between people and wildlife that inspire future generations.

The next time you visit the Columbus Zoo or The Wilds, take a moment to look beyond the habitat. You may see someone carrying browse, preparing enrichment, or quietly observing from a distance. They may not be the first thing you notice, but they are an important part of every wild moment you experience.

animals at the Columbus Zoo  animals at The Wilds