What are the safety considerations involved in zoo keeping?
It is important to remember that zoo animals, while they live in captivity, are not tame and could cause serious injury. For the most part, zoo keepers and animals do not share the same space without some form of adequate safety barrier between them. Contact is limited even with young animals, because it is generally best to allow the parents to raise their offspring as naturally as possible. When young are raised by their parents they learn important social interactions and communication appropriate for their species. Also, parent-raised young retain a more cautious attitude towards humans, creating a safer situation for the zoo keepers who work with the animals when they become adults. Zoo keepers must be constantly aware of the safety hazards of their job. They must use all of their senses to know what is going on around them at all times. Zoo keepers and other zoo staff have emergency training and are well rehearsed in what to do in case of emergency. Emergency drills are held seve
