Zoo chat | Q&A with Taronga Western Plains zookeeper Lou Todd

Why did you want to become a keeper at the zoo?

I have always been fascinated with behaviour and observation, which is a huge component of my job. Had I not followed a career path with animals, I would have probably pursued a career in criminal psychology. I thought it would be near impossible to get a job as a zookeeper as it is such a popular career, but I was lucky enough to have the right opportunities at the right time and worked very hard to secure a position with the zoo.

I thought I would only be in Dubbo for a few months, and then return to Sydney, but I loved it so much that I decided to stay.

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What does your role entail at the zoo?

There is so much more to being a zookeeper than just cuddling animals. The animals rely on us for nearly everything that they would usually have in the wild, so we need to think of and cover every base to make sure they have the best life with us. A large portion of my day involves cleaning exhibits, feeding animals and providing enrichment. I spend a lot of my time cutting browse (both feed and furniture) for all the animals. I also spend a lot of time keeping up with the latest research and techniques used throughout the zoo industry to continue to improve and bring new ideas to my team.

What do you love about your job?

I love spending time with the animals that I work with. Working with Australian species often allows me the privilege of getting up close with the animals in my care. I am able to build so much trust and watch them learn new things every day which is very special.

I also love working with a group of people that are so incredibly passionate about what we do. We would all do anything to make every single day the best it can be for the animals we work with. I find it's quite rare to find people so passionate and invested in what they do for a living.

What has been a career highlight to date?

I was fortunate enough to travel to Lord Howe Island with Taronga in 2019 to work as part of the Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project. I was able to witness the difference that we made to the flora and fauna of the island whilst I was there and release birds back into the wild once it was safe to do so. By the time I left, we could see the understory of the forest recovering and could see birds everywhere. I fell in love with the Island, especially the Woodhen. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity!

What is something a member from the public may not know about your role or a unique aspect of your job?

Keepers really need to be a jack of all trades. We need to know a little bit about everything to make sure we can do our job every day. We spend so much time observing behaviour, gardening, doing quick repair jobs, cleaning, training and medicating animals - this is just a short list off the top of my head. I've picked up so many skills already and I can't wait to continue to learn and build on these throughout the rest of my career.

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