Zookeeper Robby

A behind-the-scenes look with zookeeper Robby

Introducing

Robby is a zookeeper. Each zookeeper within ZooParc deals with different animal species and responsibilities. Robby, for example, deals specifically with predators and ungulates. He also provides food presentations for visitors, is the person of trust within the animal care team, and ensures that articles about ZooParc are published in De Harpij (a professional magazine) on behalf of the team.

Favorite animals

For Robby, giraffes and large ungulates remain special, but beyond that he has no favorite species. According to him, every animal has something special. Even animals you might think you have less to do with. Then, once you start working with the species, you discover all sorts of things about them and you start liking them more and more.

Differences among animal handlers

Of course, the animal caretakers all take good care of the animals, but in addition, each has his or her own qualities. For example, Robby enjoys presenting. Therefore, he also provides various feeding presentations for the visitors. Not all animal caretakers provide feeding presentations. With subtasks like these, each one looks for his or her own talent. There are other animal caretakers, for example, who train the animals. There again, traits such as patience play an important role. Also, it is easier for an animal if there are regular people training them. That way the animal gets used to his/her commands.

What makes this job at ZooParc so much fun?

Robby loves working at ZooParc so much because there is still so much growth possible in the park, he wants to be a part of that. He also loves the variety in his work! As a zookeeper, you are assigned an area and everything within that area falls under your responsibilities. For example, he takes care of the feeding presentations, but he does that mainly with the animals he cares for every day. That makes it extra fun, because he recognizes the animals individually and the animals recognize him. If there are questions from visitors, he can also tell more about them.

Recognizable for the animals

That the animals recognize the zookeepers was evident! The zookeepers at ZooParc are wearing blue polo shirts. Many animals recognize this clothing when the zookeepers pass by the enclosures. Many animals also recognize the voices of the zookeepers, which creates trust. When Robby approaches, you can see from the giraffes, for example, that they know something is going to happen; they follow him with their eyes.

Special events

No matter how long you have been a zookeeper, births always remain special. Robby says that it is especially special when you arrive at the animals in the morning and are the first to spot the young! And then to see the young animal grow up and to be busy with it every day, that remains a beautiful part of the work. Robby also enjoys contributing to new projects and the growth of the park. A great example of that are the mhorrgazelles at ZooParc. In addition, it also remains special to make connections with the animals. That is sometimes very difficult when animals have a certain past. But if the animals then trust you and you gain that trust, that is really very special and also really the reason why you started doing the work.

Confidence of the white tiger

If you look at special connections. Then the white tiger at ZooParc is a good example. The white tiger has been through a few things in the past, so she has trouble trusting people. The zookeepers at ZooParc therefore train her to trust people more, but this takes time. With Robby it took up to 1.5 years before she started to trust him. The trust can quickly be damaged again. For example, he will not yet be there when a veterinarian comes. The white tiger can then possibly begin to associate him with something negative. The degree to which the white tiger trusts people does vary a lot. With animal caretaker Max it goes much better, while she doesn't like Koen at all.

Feeding wild dogs

One example of a feeding presentation Robby does, among others, is that of the wild dogs. Unlike the feeding of the giraffes, which he always does alone, the presentation with the wild dogs is always in pairs. One person then takes care of the presentation and the other makes the animals go inside for a while, hides the food in the enclosure and then lets them out again. Robby himself then usually stands among the visitors to do the presentation. He enjoys bringing people all the way into his story. One of the things he told during his presentation was that the wild dogs are fed 5 to 6 days a week. After all, in the wild they don't catch prey every day either, so that's why they have days when they "fast. On quiet days like winter or fall, he likes to offer visitors a little something extra from time to time, like a peek into the indoor enclosure.