zoo

[Joanie]

I've never checked out this forum before...so I hope it's okay to share these pics here, even though these are by no means my pets. They're actually my co-workers. :D

This is a white rhino, his name is Bender.

[Joanie]

And this is a male black rhino. His name is Moja, and he is demonstrating the "open mouth" behavior that allows me to check his tongue and teeth.

[atavuss]

Joanie, nice pics of impressive rhinos! is it safe to be in the same enclosure with a rhino? what is their temperment like? are the rhinos trained to open their mouths so you can inspect them?
I find them fascinating!
Ed

[The_Phantom]

Awww, so cute....any elephants?? :D

[Joanie]

The zoo I work at doesn't have elephants. :rolleyes:

And to Ed--IME rhinos are high-strung but people-friendly; they really like getting treats and respond well to petting, brushing, baths, etc. :) And yeah, they're trained to open their mouths, and are trained for a couple other things too--all husbandry-related behaviors that help make vet visits and check-ups easier for everybody. I only have contact with the rhinos through the bars, though--I don't go in the enclosures with them, just because they don't understand how strong and big they are. Squashed is still squashed, even if it's done by accident by a friendly animal.

Glad you liked the pictures. :)

Joanie

[The_Phantom]

Thats so cool...so you must be a zoo keeper! My dream job....Im a zoo keeper too...In my web comic!! (in my sig)

[Gary O]

Cool pics. Them are some huge animals!

[Professor T]

Give us the details. What zoo do you work at, and what other animals do you care for?

[cricket54]

I love this! You are lucky! Did you have to have acollege degree to get your job? I have heard from other people that rhino's are more like pet cows when they are taken into capitivity. Do the ones you take care of seem pretty happy? The one's in the zoos that have a area to stand in simular to the wilds were they are from seem pretty happy. If they have a place to hide from people staring at them all the time, that seems to make them the happiest.

Sharon

[Joanie]

I work at the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin. We're a smaller zoo, and a little overshadowed by Milwaukee County Zoo, which is close by and lots bigger. I work with the rhinos and giraffes and all my animals were born in zoos. Sometimes visitors ask if I think the rhinos or giraffes miss the savannahs of Africa, and I'll be like, "well, actually they're from California." :) And I hope they're happy.....they don't seem UNhappy, at least, and I do my best to make sure they have something interesting happen in their lives every day, even if it's just getting a new treat or putting a new scent on one of their toys or something like that.

And yeah, I have a BS in Biology. All the keepers have a BS in something, usually Biology or maybe Zoology.

Here's another picture of one of the giraffes using a "tongue feeder" that makes her maneuver PVC objects with her tongue in order to get all the food.

[da_illest]

haha.. that giraffe's a joker... what is that he's sippin' on anyway?

[DnKslr]

=D That's got to be the weirdest "kissy face" I've ever seen! LOL!
Very cool! I've always wanted to work in a profession that deals with animals but I guess the fates had other things in mind.:rolleyes:

[Yve]

those are awesome pics....that giraffe is adorable!! If I was a little more focused as a young adult I think a career working with animals would have been my choice. Now I just educate myself as a hobby and do a bit of volunteer work to help with conservation.

[avmaviator]

Cool I have been to that Zoo before. I lived in Racine for a summer. Its a nice zoo.

Arno

[Joanie]

Thanks for all the nice compliments! And hey, avmaviator, when were you last at the Racine zoo? It's changed a lot over the last couple years, you should check it out again if you're ever in the area

Here's one more rhino pic--this is Timu, a female black rhino, relaxing after a bath.

I'll have to go visit the other keepers' sections and get pictures of other animals, so I can provide some variety! All I have right now are rhino and giraffe pictures!