Brandywine AAZK

Our goal is to expand conservation efforts through partnering with the American Association of Zoo Keepers. The Brandywine AAZK Chapter (BAAZK) is made up of zoo keepers, educators, and other zoo employees. We are committed to supporting the professional and conservation efforts of AAZK. By supporting BAAZK, you help enhance, the professional development of its members, and you also help our chapter through fundraising efforts, to contribute to conservation both locally and globally. Some fund raising events we have hosted include, ‘Bowling For Rhinos’, which raises money for rhino conservation. Another annual fund raising event we have hosted is 'Tango For Tamarins’. Monies raised at this event help the Golden Lion Tamarins in Brazil and here at the Zoo. We also raise money to help with professional development for the keepers. We host free 'Guest Speaker' events to help educate the public and other zoo professionals on a variety of topics. Past guest speakers have included Dr. Erica Miller, Dr.La’Toya Latney and Hillary Taylor, Delaware’s wildlife rehabilitator. Next time you are at The Brandywine Zoo, stop a keeper and chat with us. We love to talk about our jobs, the animals in our care, our AAZK Chapter and what our chapter does, and even what it takes to become a zoo keeper

Being a zoo keeper means being passionate, dedicated, hardworking, and having a love of animals and people. Zoo keepers are care givers, educators, conservationists, trainers, and a lot more. Everything we do during our work day directly affects the animals in our care. Our days include feeding the animals, cleaning enclosures, making sure all the animals are healthy and happy, both physically and mentally. We do “positive reinforcement” training and we also do behavioral enrichment for the animals. The training we do helps us better care for the animals and the enrichment keeps the animals stimulated and hopefully solicits some of their natural behaviors. Our days are also made up of problem solving, brainstorming, and progressive learning. Zoo keepers give 100% of themselves to their jobs and the animals in their care. We are constantly bettering ourselves through conferences, networking, newsletters and schooling to helps us grow and stay up on the best animal care practices. We are professionals dedicating our careers to gaining knowledge and experience, sharing this knowledge to constantly improve the care of the animals here at The Brandywine Zoo.