What Is the Difference Between a Zoo Keeper & Curator?
Curators and zookeepers are part of the professional staff at a zoological garden. Curators oversee the acquisition and maintenance of the animals, while zookeepers are responsible for the day-to-day tasks.
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Zoo
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A zoological garden is a museum that specializes in the education, exhibition and conservation of animals. Zoos today include safari parks, insectariums, butterfly parks, aviaries, herpetariums, conservation parks and aquariums.
Zookeeper's Job
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Zookeepers are responsible for the daily maintenance of the animals' environment, feeding and grooming. Keepers should also be knowledgeable about the animals that they are working with and able to detect physical and psychological changes. Zookeepers are the people whom most visitors encounter, and they provide information for the public on the different animals.
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Zookeeper Training
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Most zookeepers have an associate or bachelor's degree in zoology or biology. Zookeepers are also encouraged to have some experience with veterinary science and usually start out volunteering for animal shelters, veterinarians or zoos to gain experience working with animals.
Animal Curator Job
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Just as a curator of an art museum might acquire, care for and interpret artwork for the public to learn from, a curator at a zoo will do the same with animals. Based on a zoological garden's particular mission, a curator will purchase an animal, design and monitor the environment, and supervise daily activities, administration, budget, and interpretation through kiosk panels, tours or guides. Most animals are purchased through breeding programs in other zoos. Curators are also responsible for setting up and managing breeding in their own zoos.
Animal Curator Training
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A bachelor's or master's degree in zoology or biology is usually required for curators, along with experience in veterinary medicine. Practical experience is also a must, so many curators start out as zookeepers.
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