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Hello. My name is Catie, and I’m a member of the Elephant Care Team. I’d like to tell you a little bit more about our profession as animal care professionals. One of the most common questions we’re asked is “how do I get a job like that?” This question often comes after a guest has … Continue reading "I have the best job in the world"

Hey everyone, my name is Bret Pilney, and I work in the Primate Department as a Keeper I. I mainly work with the orangutans, but every once in a while I help out in gorillas and in our small African primate area whenever they might need a hand. That being said, for this blog I … Continue reading "How my job helps me live a better life"

Wet, icy, wintry weather recently threatened to strike Atlanta for the first time in 2019! Due to anticipation of inclement weather, Zoo Atlanta was closed yesterday, but this didn’t mean the animals were left to fend for themselves! We have a very dedicated animal care team at the Zoo, and neither rain, sleet, snow, sun, … Continue reading "Panda updates – Wednesday, January 30"

If you have visited Idgie the red panda in the last year, you will have noticed we made several improvements to her habitat. Recently, we have made some additions that may not be so obvious. A little background first … red pandas are equipped to handle very cold temperatures. They have a very dense undercoat … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, January 28"

Apply for seasonal positions on February 5. WHAT: Dependable, enthusiastic and outgoing job seekers are invited to apply for seasonal positions at an upcoming Job Fair at Zoo Atlanta on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Applicants are asked to bring a résumé. Zoo Atlanta expects to fill around 60 seasonal … Continue reading "Zoo Atlanta Job Fair"

Ya Lun and Xi Lun achieved a pretty big accomplishment last week: they participated in their first voluntary blood draws! At Zoo Atlanta, all of our training is voluntary for the animals, and if at any time they don’t want to participate, they don’t have to. We focus on training behaviors with the animals that … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, January 23"

Many of you who have followed the giant pandas for a long time may remember that Lun Lun has always refused to eat sweet potatoes. Yang Yang and all but one of Lun Lun’s offspring love to eat sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were always one food item we knew Lun Lun wouldn’t steal from her … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, January 18"

I haven’t worked the giant panda routine for a few weeks, and it has been even longer since I had a chance to train with the cubs on their open-mouth cue. Much to my surprise, Ya Lun opened her mouth right away when asked! For Xi Lun, it took a couple attempts of me asking … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, January 16"

Giant pandas have some of the strongest jaws of all terrestrial carnivores. Their ability to crush through tough bamboo comes from those strong jaw muscles, as well as the location at which the jaw muscles attach. A pandas’ jaw muscles are attached at their sagittal crest. For those of you with dogs at home, this … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, January 14"

Sometimes we take an opportunity to give the twins a chance to hang out in their behind-the-scenes areas as a change from the outdoor habitats or dayrooms. The twins enjoy being outside and in their climate-controlled dayrooms, and spend most of their time in these areas, but it’s also a treat for them to spend … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, January 11"