07/19/2026
IT'S NATIONAL ZOO KEEPER WEEK! July 19 - 25!
While the animals are certainly front and center on any visit to the zoo, this event is all about showing appreciation for those who take care of them – the zoo keepers! National Zoo Keeper Week is for the humans who are usually in the background making sure the zoo animals in their care are happy and healthy.
One excellent way to get involved with National Zoo Keeper Week is to become more educated about and familiar with who these interesting folks are and what they do. Consider learning some bits of trivia and information that can be shared with friends or coworkers in person or with a whole host of followers online.
Here are some cool Zoo Keeper Facts:
- Zoo keepers have a vast number of responsibilities, from cleaning and feeding the animals to checking them for health and safety issues, from providing education to patrons to spotlighting conservation efforts
- Most zoo keeper type careers require them to have a degree related to animals, whether it is a veterinary degree, zoology, animal management, or some other related life sciences specialty
- Zoo keepers work on holidays, just like doctors, nurses and other caregivers for humans - they are needed 24/7 every day of the year.
- Zoo keepers have a great deal of experience studying the habitats, breeding habits, social activities, feeding patterns and many other lifestyle factors of the species they work with.
Of course, one of the highest honors that can be paid during National Zoo Keepers Week would be to head over to the local zoo and catch them in the act of taking care of the animals! In fact, many zoos have special times where animals are fed and the patrons are allowed to interact with the zookeepers, which means this might be a perfect opportunity to show them some appreciation and thank them for their dedication to what they do!
