Chimpanzees in Australia Zoo? » Australia Zoo

Chimpanzees in Australia Zoo?
15-04-2008

Is there plans for any Chimpanzees in Australia zoo if there is please tell!

15-04-2008

Not in the forseeable future

15-04-2008

Darn! Well i would have thought there were going to be some chimps in the primate exhibit. Ive always wanted to be a primate keeper at a zoo *Particuarally Chimpanzees*. But i guess ill have to wait then. Anyone else have information on this topic???

15-04-2008

why do you have to wait? are you not prepared to work in another zoo?

there are four other zoos in australia with chimps.

15-04-2008

It isnt all that easy to find cheap homes close to zoo's and close to a school for children. Ive been searching for houses and there are cheap family houses near Beerwah and Glasshouse Mountains.

All the houses in driving range of taronga zoo are way to over priced because there near the bay. And im not sure which other zoos have chimpanzees.

And id also rather work in a more well paying zoo because i need to support a family *my wife works to by the way*.

And i honostly dont think that there is a zoo with chimpanzees that will accept me. I only have 3 years of farming experience and no experience with primates what so ever other than seeing them at zoos. And most importantly I havent gone to University.

If there is a zoo like that anywhere in Australia, please post straight away!

15-04-2008

Oh but i have read and researched chimpanzee behaviour, diets and socialization if that helps.

15-04-2008

To get your foot in the door with primates you will need to be a volunteer for a while on other species, then get a job as a keeper, or get a degree or certificate in animal management, then still start on other species. Apes are one of the most dangerous species to keep, so you need to put in the hard yards to be let near them, which means starting at the bottom.

15-04-2008

Thank you for your reply Jo. So ill start as a volunter for a year or so with another smaller species.. get a job as a zookeeper.. Look after another smaller species for a while and rank up to the chimpanzees. Do you know a well paying zoo other then taronga zoo which keeps chimpanzees and other large apes? If so please tell.

15-04-2008

Nope, there are no well paying zoos in general, keeping is not a highly paid job, but those others with chimps aren't going to be any better than Taronga pay wise. Are you near Perth Zoo? If so ask them about vollie opportunities. I have to also point out that even following what I suggested won't guarantee you a position with chimps. Ape keepers tend to try to keep their positions, so they won't come up very often.

You also have to realise that keepers spent 90% of their time cleaning, so basically that is what you will be doing, it won't be a job playing with chimps, and some won't be interested in you anyway.

15-04-2008

i know its not all fun and games but my love for them is truely strong. And yes i am near perth zoo. What do you mean by Vollie oppurtunities?

15-04-2008

By the sound of it, you are asking the impossible, unless you want to put in lots of work on other sections in zoos, and work your way up the ladder.

You are almost asking the equivalent of " I once cooked a barbeque, but I want to be the lead chef in a 5-star hotel, and I weant to live close by, and I don't want to spend much on a house". Oh, if life was that easy!

I think you'd be best thinking of an alternative career to be honest. You and 50,000 other people all want to work in zoos, and jobs are few and far between, especially when you want to work with apes, elephants or seals.

Oh, and Taronga well-paying??? You've clearly never spoken to a Taronga keeper!!

15-04-2008

Im not saying i want everything to be perfect like that ZooPro. Im just wanting to know what area/zoo would be better to work with chimps and all. I know its a tough and low paying job but for me it all adds up.

15-04-2008

Vollie opportunities = volunteer positions. I wouldn't want to be a keeper for anything, hence my long stint at uni.

15-04-2008

Why wouldnt you want to be a keeper Jo?

15-04-2008

There are only one or two zoos where you can work with chimps in Australia -Taronga (which you don't want) and Rockhampton Zoo (unlikely). So your options are very very limited.

Monarto Zoo is building a chimp facility, but they will be wanting experienced keepers, as will any zoo. You need to do lots of hard yards first, become experienced, known, and respected, and then wait for a position to come up.

And as I said, there's a long, long line of people ahead of you.