Twas the Day Before Zoo-mas

Five years ago, I wrote my first winter holiday-themed Keeper Stories Blog. Each year since, I have requested the December blog spot on my team so I could continue writing these! Each year I changed it up with different stories or songs, and even wrote one about what animals would ask Santa Paws for Christmas! This year, on the five-year anniversary of the first one I wrote, and my 10^th holiday season at Zoo Atlanta, I decided to go back to my first one and rewrite it!

In the past five years I’ve been able to work with so many new and wonderful humans, and there are many new animals I get to care for. So I figured it was time for a revamp to include all my new teammates and animal friends, and this way you as the reader don’t have to dig through five years of blogs to read my first one! Please enjoy Twas the Day Before Zoo-mas 2.0!

Twas the Day Before Zoo-mas

Twas the day before Zoo-mas when all through the Zoo
Not a creature was stirring, not even a milky eagle owl named Rwe.
The target poles were placed in their drawer with care,
While the chinchillas rolled in dust to clean their hair.

The ferrets were nestled all snug in their burrow
While the care team made sure our records were thorough.
And Sean in his khakis tried not to make a peep
As the animals settled down for a nice winter’s sleep.

When out in the mews Rob heard a loud clatter,
Turns out Obsidian the black vulture was the source of the chatter
Then away to Wieland we flew like a flash,
Tore open the fridge and enjoyed our lunch stash!

The sun shone high on this crisp winter day
Which was perfect for alpacas rolling around in their hay.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But goats and sheep and pigs to spread some holiday cheer.

With Sarah and Kaileen, so lively and quick,
It was time to clean with shovels, and rakes, and broomsticks.
Blake knew bringing goats and sheep inside could be quite a game,
So they whistled and shouted and called them by name:

“Now Wasabi! Now Barbie!
Now, Haku and Ponyo!
On Ella! On, Avocado!
On, Carmen, Cruz, and Shiro!
To the night yard!
To the inside stalls!
Now come inside, come inside!
Come inside all!”

As dry leaves that before from trees did fall
The care team used as bedding for all.
Southern toads blended in thanks to good coloration
Right after Roxanne and Rachael trained them to station.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard a small crunch
Of Cortez the macaw eating his lunch.
Nas moved through the building at a brisk walk,
When Sydney the cockatoo let out a loud squawk.

We were dressed in our navy and khakis and sneakers,
And played our holiday music loudly through speakers.
A bundle of treats Caroline placed in her pocket,
And she turned on twinkling lights for enrichment into a socket.

He moved through his home with a shell nice and strong
Cardboard the box turtle didn’t mind if we sang him a song.
He tore through a box full of dinner with such ease
Abby the northern ground hornbill was easy to please.

With a hard shell to cover their bodies and backs
Armadillos sat in the open to enjoy an apple snack.
The leaves of lettuce they held in their teeth
The rabbits encircled their bowl of dinner like a wreath.
A few nice windows for guests to see
Reuben the Patagonian mara sitting under his tree.

As the day’s end drew to a chilly close,
McKenzie said goodnight to the red-tailed hawk Rose.
Diets were prepared and fed out just right
So nocturnal mammals could forage at night!

I watched Indi the indigo snake glide under the soil
As the ball pythons curled their bodies into a perfect coil.
And finally the care team checked habitat locks
So we could go home and put on fuzzy socks.

We sprang to our cars, to our team we said goodnight,
And away we all drove on the last legs of sunlight.
But we heard James exclaim, as he too drove out of sight,
“Happy Zoo-mas to all, and to all a good night!”

 

Emily B.
Senior Keeper, Ambassador Animals