Take a peek behind the scenes with Emily, one of our dedicated animal care professionals, to learn what a typical day looks like caring for the animals at the Zoo.
Emily's morning starts with a team check-in, and then she's off for the day to care for the Bactrian camels and red kangaroos.
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Before the Zoo opens to visitors, Emily is already out on the camel field. Her morning begins with cleaning the habitat, preparing breakfast, and providing enrichment activities for the camels.
Enrichment varies day to day to keep the animals engaged and to provide new opportunities for mental and physical stimulation. Today, Emily fills a large ball with carrots and lettuce that the camels can roll around to discover how to access the treats inside. These activities encourage natural behaviours like exploration and curiosity.
Animal care professionals also play an important role in monitoring animal health and administering medications. Today, Emily ensures that Bactrian camel Tina receives her daily medication to support her digestive health.
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Once the camels are settled, Emily heads over to visit our troop of red kangaroos.
Her morning routine is similar in this habitat: cleaning it from the previous day, preparing and distributing breakfast, and checking in on the animal's wellbeing. Our troop this year has for new, adorable joeys that are peeking out of their mom’s pouches and hopping around the habitat!
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
After lunch, Emily returns to care for the Bactrian camels.
Using some of their favourite treats like romaine lettuce, Emily guides the camels to a different area of their habitat so she can focus on tidying their indoor space.
Training animals to move throughout their habitats calmly is an important part of our daily care. These routines keep people and animals safe and comfortable!
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Next, it’s back to the red kangaroos.
Emily observes their behaviour, connects with her colleagues on how the kangaroos have been, and helps prepare one of the younger kangaroos for a weight check.
To make the experience as comfortable and stress-free as possible, the team starts with a training session. The young kangaroo is encouraged to step onto a piece of artificial turf, helping them become familiar with standing on a new surface before the veterinary team brings out the scale. This practice was made possible by our positive reinforcement training, which supports the animals to volunteer in their own care.
After a little hesitation, the kangaroo confidently hops onto the turf and remains calm. Now the team is ready to collect an official weight.
After the afternoon winds down, Emily distributes additional food, refreshes the hay on the camel field, and documents observations for staff arriving the following morning. After a final round of checks, her day comes to an end.
While no two days are the same, animal care professionals play a critical role in ensuring animals at the Zoo receive the highest standard of care every day.
Thank you to Emily and the Animals of Asia team for letting us join you on your day!
