Can Zookeepers go into areas with the animals?
Respect for animal and zookeeper safety is our utmost concern. Therefore, it depends on the individual animal and/or species. Examples are: We work “free contact” with one elephant and “protected contact” with the other due to her aggressive nature. We do not go in with great apes; they’re too large, strong and dangerous. We can go in with many birds, reptiles and most small mammals when necessary. We do not go in with the tigers, leopards or lions. We avoid going in with most primates because they are not comfortable with us being in their enclosures and can carry diseases that are transmittable to humans (and vice versa). We also have a “two-person rule” whenever we’re going to enter an enclosure with most animals. This is a safety rule so that no one is ever alone with a potentially dangerous animal.
