Lesson Structure: Zoo Keeping BEN208

There are 9 lessons in this course:

1. The Nature and Scope of Zoos

• What is a Zoo?
• The Evolution of Zoos
• Change in Zoo Design
• Modern Zoos and Sanctuaries
• Legislation
• Codes of Practices
• Animal Welfare
• Enrichment
• Record Keeping
• Identification Tags
• Animal Taxonomy
• Phylums & Classes of the Animal Kingdom
• The Function of Zoos
• Research and Zoos
• Education in Zoos

2.  Occupational Health and Safety in Zoos

• Workplace Health & Safety
• Legislation
• Health & Safety Management in Zoos
• Zoonoses
• Legionnaires Disease
• Other Safety Issues
• Risk Management

3.  Captive Husbandry – Nutrition and Feeding

• Animal Nutrition
• The Effect of Poor Nutrition on Animal Behaviour
• Water Requirements
• Essential Dietary Components
• Vitamins & Minerals
• Food Storage & Preparation
• Presentation of Food

4. Captive Husbandry – Health

• Monitoring Health
• Maintaining Health
• Diseases
• Quarantine
• Record Keeping/Animal Transfer Data
• Enrichment Data Transfer Form

5.Captive Husbandry – Reproduction

• The Need for Captive Breeding
• Captive Breeding in Zoos
• Goals of Captive Breeding
• Issues with Captive Breeding
• Inbreeding Risks
• Captive Breeding Programs
• Monitoring the Reproductive Status of Zoo Animals
• Assisted Reproduction
• Stud Books
• Birth Control and Separation

6.Captive Husbandry – Behaviour and Enrichment

• Ethology
• Behaviour
• Types of Behaviour
• Behaviours in Captive Animals
• Learned Behaviour
• The Flight or Fight Response
• Animal Behaviours
• Animal Welfare Indicators
• Environmental Influence on Behaviour
• Behaviour Management
• Environmental Enrichment

7.  Human-Animal Interactions

• Keeper-Animal Interactions
• Visitor Animal Interactions
• Dealing with Dangerous Animals
• Flight Distance of Animals
• Handling Animals
• Visitor Animal Interactions
• Stress Reduction

8.    Enclosure Design and Maintenance

• Optimum Enclosure Design
• The Perfect Enclosure?
• Replicating Nature
• Providing Stimulating Environments
• Physical Enrichment
• Feeding Enrichment
• Sensory Enrichment
• Social Enrichment

9.  Problem-based Learning Project – Environmental Enrichment

• Introduction and Definition of PBL
• Problem Definition
• Team Structure and Interaction
• Discussion
• Resources
• Guidelines
• Final Report

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Learning Goals: Zoo Keeping BEN208

• Describe the nature and scope of zoos as a source of education and conservation
• Develop appropriate procedures for managing occupational health and safety in a zoo, with a view to minimising risk to staff, animals and visitors
• Describe the nutritional requirements and feeding preferences of animals within zoos
• Determine health management measures required for a range of different captive zoo animals
• Describe the management of breeding in zoos
• Determine appropriate ways to manage a range of different wild animals in zoos
• Explain procedures and techniques used to manage human-animal interactions in zoos
• Identify and describe the qualities of good enclosure design. Develop maintenance programs for different enclosures

Gain all important hands-on experience with wildlife animals, to add to your CV whilst you are studying your Zookeeping Certificate course with ADL, or after completing it. We are very happy to be associated with GVE, which offers an unforgettable volunteer experience in South Africa with their Game Capture and Vet Experience programs.

The program fee charged for the experience also acts as the main support for GVE’s non-profit clinic.

Interested in reading more information about both the Game Capture and Vet Experience programs? Then just click on the GVE logo below

WHAT IS A ZOO?
This seems a simple question but before we begin to learn about working in a zoo, we need to define exactly what a zoo is. A zoo can defined as an establishment, park or garden where live animals are kept on display for the purposes of recreation and education. A zoo can cover a range of establishments such as aquariums, fauna sanctuaries, bird gardens, safari parks, petting zoos and any collection of living animal species on display to the public.

MODERN ZOOS/SANCTUARIES/WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTERS
Today, wild animals are kept in a wide range of settings. These include:

• Zoos or zoological gardens
• Open range zoos or safari parks,
• Aquariums
• Roadside Zoos
• Petting Zoos
• Amusement Parks
• Private collections.

Many modern zoos have a common ethos of contributing to education, conservation and research while providing entertainment to visitors.

Working with Animals
A major safety risk at zoos arises from working with animals. There are a number of hazards faced by employees when working in close proximity to animals.  The main two risks of working with animals include the potential spread of disease from animals to humans (zoonoses) and vice versa, and risk of injury from the animal – eg. biting, mauling, scratches. Impact injuries such as crushing, bruising and fractures from larger animals.

Other factors may influence the potential risk for injury such as the predatory nature of the animal, reactions of both humans and animals to fear, the natural group instinct of animals and hierarchical behaviour and the fact that some animals are built to kill or injure other animals.

It is important for employees to be aware of these risks as well as the fact that these risks change with age, sex, grouping behaviour and sexual maturity of certain animals. Employees should be properly trained in how to work and handle animals (when necessary) and zoo keepers should always have relevant experience for working with different animals. There are specific guidelines for working with large and dangerous animals such as elephants, large cats and snakes as they pose the greatest risk. Many countries have strict guidelines for working with different animals. The United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE), for example, has identified categories of risk for certain animals. These categories are linked with specific procedures and guidelines. The UK categories are:

• Greater risk (Category 1): contact is likely to result in serious injury or threat to life (eg. large carnivores, primates and venomous snakes)
• Less risk (Category 2): where contact may result in injury/illness but would not be life threatening (eg. medium-sized mammals/primates and some bird species, including birds of prey)
• Least risk (Category 3): includes those animals not listed above (eg. smaller mammals, birds and some reptiles and amphibians).

Zoo employees need to be aware that research on behaviour of all animals kept in zoos is not comprehensive and that risk assessment principles should be adopted before handling animals.

The HS recommends that UK zoos adopt a non-contact policy for those animals in category 1. Of course this is not always possible and there are exceptional circumstances where risk is minimised do the age of the animal, contact is necessary for veterinary reasons, the animal is under anaesthetic or the animal is in a controlled situation (such as a crush cage). Again, it is worthwhile researching the categories of risk for animals in your own country or region.

Moving Animals within a Zoo
This can be one of the most hazardous operations within a zoo. Moving animals requires experienced staff, careful planning and an accurate identification of potential hazards. Both the animal’s welfare and the safety of staff are major concerns when relocating animals. If possible, staff should avoid manual handling of the animal. If this is not possible, this should be kept to a minimum and be carried out by appropriately trained and experienced staff.

Consideration should also be given to the type of equipment required such as suitable lifting equipment, crates or cages that may be needed and vehicles to be used (if any). These should all be inspected prior to moving for any potential risks or maintenance issues.

Restraining Animals
Each animal species will require a different form of restraint to ensure the safety of both the zoo staff and the animal.  Below are a few examples of restraints used for some animals.

• Snakes – chemical restraint is often used for restraining snakes. Zoo and veterinary staff need to be careful when choosing which chemical restraint as some can have undesirable side effects (eg. respiratory depression or prolonged recovery).
• Giraffes – giraffes can be conditioned to use a chute or crush as a restraining technique. These need to be specifically designed for the physiology of the giraffe with additional restraining bars to restrict movement.
• Sea Lions –box cages are used to restrain sea lions. Staff can also use hearding boards and nets to move them to boxes. Senior staff regularly train sea lions to enter boxes. They may also use herding as a capture technique, but this is generally used as a last resort.

Animal Containment
Zoos are required to ensure that animals (especially dangerous animals) are effectively contained so that risk of escape is low. Containment will generally take the form of an outer perimeter boundary of the entire zoo as well as enclosure boundaries which may include cages, tanks, pools, fences, walls, moats or ditched enclosures.

Enclosures
The legislation regarding enclosure design and size will again vary from country to country as well as within countries. Enclosures must be designed to ensure that animals cannot escape. Consideration must also be given to the hazards associated with these boundaries. Some of these include:

• Rescue equipment needs to be supplied for enclosures with moats or where visitors/staff may accidentally fall into an enclosure.
• Buffers need to be in place where there is risk of animals coming into contact with visitors through a barrier.
• The type of material used must be able to withstand repeated attacks by animals, adverse weather conditions, access for staff for cleaning or repair as well as visibility for safety and aesthetic reasons.
• Gates and doors need to be able to contain animals while allow free access by staff.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Due to our years of experience and wide range of online courses, here are a list of our FAQs and Answers asked by Students.

General

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, you are not required to purchase expensive text books for any of our courses, since each module has been written by highly qualified tutors and writers, and our courses are updated on a regular basis, adding new information, methods and knowledge. You are supplied with all “essential” references. Extra books are always useful though, especially for special projects. Tutors will advise you what to buy if you decide you would like to have extra reading material, but it is not essential. Check out our eBookstore if you’re looking for a starting point.

Q. What sets the Academy apart from other institutions?
A.  A unique feature of our courses is that we combine knowledge of the subject matter with practical tasks (set tasks, found at the end of each lesson).  So you get to do practical components in each lesson. The benefits of this approach are immense: – your skills and knowledge are developed to a much higher level not normally found at other distance learning institutions.

Q. How do the practical exercises (set tasks) work?
A. The practical component of each lesson can be in the form of : Field Research, Networking and Analysis, Conducting Surveys, Growing, Collecting, Photographing and Processes.

Q. If I do a shorter course first, can I get credits towards a certificate or diploma later?
A. Yes. We will assess previous studies to give you appropriate credits.

Q. Can I pay by instalments?
A. Yes, you can view all available payment options here.

Q. Do I get a discount if two of us enrol together?
A. Yes. You may claim a 5% discount on fees if you both enrol in courses at the same time.

Q. Do I get a discount if I enrol in a second course?
A. Yes. You will be offered a 10% discount on subsequent courses you enrol for.

Q. Can I use more than one discount code when enrolling for my course?
A. No. You can only use one discount code chosen by yourself per course, when more than one is available.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however; have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are there any hidden costs?
A. There are no hidden extras – the tuition fee covers all course material, unlimited tutor support, assignment marking/feedback and any text books where specified and exams. The only extras are for the public examinations fees for the ICB Bookkeeping course and the RHS (Royal Horticulture Society) exams.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are continually updated. The course content is rapidly updated and improved without the red tape and bureaucracy experienced at other educational institutions.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. What Recognition do you have?
A. The Academy for Distance Learning has various forms of recognition:
These include TQUK (Training Qualifications UK) – an Ofqual Awarding Organisation – ADL is an approved TQUK Centre.
IARC – International Approval Registration Centre, approved member.  Accredited Training Provider for ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) and Approved Distance Learning Provider for the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) and many more. Our graduates come from many parts of the world and have used our qualifications for successful employment and progression onto higher education. To view our full list  of recognition and memberships please click here,

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at the Academy our students are our priority – we treat every student as a unique individual. This philosophy allows us to nurture those who are “slow and steady” learners rather than letting them fall through the cracks, while catering for those who are in a hurry to complete.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you. You’re under no pressure to finish by a certain deadline.

Q. Completing the course- how long will it take?
A. Completion of  modules varies from student to student.  Many factors come into play  such as work commitments and family life- there are always distractions.  Some students work quicker than others.  For a 100 hour module many students will take up to 3- 6 months,  others take less time and some are even longer. It’s all up to you.  There is no pressure to complete or deadline to finish. Naturally, longer courses will take more time.

Q. What learning formats are there?
A.  Your enrollment comes with the Online Classroom study option by default. For a small additional cost you also have the options of USB or Correspondence.
USB: Your course is sent to you on a USB stick, so that you can carry it in your pocket. Ideal for those with unreliable internet connections. This option is an additional £5/module

Correspondence:  You download the course content and then print your own copy to your requirements. You can then bind the lessons to suit your needs.

Assessments

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a project instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location, or you can visit us in Canterbury, England to sit the exam if want to.  Exam fees are included in the tuition fee you paid. You can read more about the examination process here. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment. You submit it to the academy who then submits it to the tutor for marking, comments and feedback. Our policy is to have a grade for you within 5 to 7 days.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes – If you’re not happy with your work submitted you may re-submit the assignment again.

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons there would be 10 assignments. The number of lessons per module varies from module to module. See the course content from our website for further details.

Q. When do I have to hand in my first assignment?
A. There is no deadline for handing in the first assignment. Submit when you are ready. There are some students who hand in assignments within the first couple of weeks of enrolment – while there are others who submit their work 6 months later. It’s all at your own convenience to suit you. Everyone has different work and home commitments and we cater to these needs.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country; however, there may be an additional expense. We can appoint an appropriately qualified person anywhere to work through curriculum documentation supplied by us, to satisfy the requirements set down in a course.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would receive a Certificate (providing you complete all assignments and the exam). If you just want to complete the assignments only, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications awarded please click here.

Q. Is there a next level to progress to?
A. Yes – you can progress from one module to a combination of many modules and to higher qualifications i.e. Advanced Certificates, Diplomas and Higher Advanced Diplomas. Read more about course levels here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to design your own diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. It’s a very popular option and widely used by many students. You quite simply choose the appropriate number of related modules needed to complete the qualification and submit them to us for approval as a custom diploma.

Q.  What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of a 100-hour Certificate course and providing all assignments and exam have been completed, you will receive a Certificate and Transcript.  The Transcript will list your GPA.  Each 100-hour module is worth 3 credit hours.

Exams

Q. Do I have to sit for an exam?
A. Exams are optional but need to be undertaken in order to receive the Certificate or higher qualification.  Exams are one and a half hours long. You appoint an adjudicator (subject to our approval) to supervise the exam. You sit for the exam in your own location. Its that simple.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. If you feel you don’t cope well with exams you may elect to undertake a Project (set by the tutor) instead of sitting the exam.  Many students prefer this option as they find researching the material for the project sharpens their research skills.

Q. If I don’t sit for the Exam do I still get a qualification?
A. If you don’t sit for the exam but complete the project alternative, you will still receive your endorsed qualification. If you don’t sit for an exam or complete a final project, providing you have completed all the assignments you will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement.

Q. Do I have to sit for the exam at the Academy? 
A. No – whilst you are more than welcome to come to our location in Canterbury, U.K. and sit the exam in our classroom; the more popular option is to sit for the exam in your own location. You appoint an adjudicator to supervise the exam. Click here for more information on that process.

Q. Are there any exam fees?
A. There are no exam fees.  However, for some public examinations such as the ICB (Bookkeeping) and RHS courses exam fees do apply.  See course content for details.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A.  We only employ tutors who have are currently active in their industry with at least 5 years of real-world experience.  Not only are they highly qualified but also experienced, knowledgeable, and professional- experts in their chosen fields from all parts of the world.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes- you have unlimited access to tutors. We strongly encourage students to develop a dialogue with their Tutor. This is why we encourage students to submit their first assignment fairly quickly at the beginning of the course.
Every Academy student is assigned a tutor who supports you throughout your course and beyond. Your tutor is there to guide and facilitate your learning and provides as much or as little individual contact as you would like. When you submit your coursework the tutor will give you feedback that helps you develop your ideas and provides motivation. For those who do like to have interaction with other students, the ADL discussion forum connects you to students from all over the world.

Q. How do I contact my tutor?
A. You have direct contact with your tutor by email through the Online Classroom. Alternatively, you can write, fax, email, or phone the academy. Leave a message if your tutor isn’t available and they will phone, write or fax back; whatever suits you.

Q. If I don’t agree with / like my tutor can I request a change?
A. Yes – we try to accommodate and meet student’s needs and a change of tutor may be arranged.

Q. If I don’t understand a question or a lesson may I contact the tutor?
A. You may contact a tutor as often as you like. There is no additional charge or restriction on this service.  Contact can be made via the Student Zone, email, or by phone.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.