For this week’s episode of Beards, Booze, and Bacon: The Manual Podcast, the round-table — food and drink editor Sam Slaughter and the apotheosis of a host Greg Nibler — are joined by Travis Koons, Animal Curator, and Leland Brown, Non-lead Hunting Education Coordinator for the Oregon Zoo, to talk about the real life of working in a zoo. (Hint: It’s not about chasing down rogue penguins.)
- 1. Leland Brown, lead outreach coordinator at the Oregon
- 2. Bird curator Travis Koons at the Oregon Zoo
For many, the image of a khaki-clad zookeeper feeding animals and going on television shows may be the only idea of a zookeeper they have. This is, in fact, not what the role involves at all. During this episode, the crew learns not only about how one becomes a zookeeper, but all of the work that goes into the day-to-day operations at a zoo. Moreover, Brown discusses his position and the critical role conservation education plays in zoo life (especially as it pertains to non-lead hunting and the delicate spider’s web that comes from teaching about hunting at a zoo).
We learned a lot during this episode, and we think you will, too. If you’ve ever been to a zoo and never thought about everything that goes on behind the scenes, then this episode is for you.
Did you read Zoobooks as a kid and want to work in a zoo? Do you have an equally awesome job that we should know about? Let us know! If you ever have a question or comment for The Manual podcast folks, give us a shout at podcast@themanual.com — we’re always around! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep an eye out for podcast polls so you can join the discussion.
Further Reading
- You Can Seek Wild Sharks in the Bahamas in the Name of Conservation
- Meet the 2019 Dockers Challengers Whose Creative Ideas Help Clean Up Litter and Conserve Water
- You Can Adopt a Puffin this Summer with Reyka Vodka (Seriously)
