Variety is the spice of my day!

Hello, my fellow animal loving friends! My name is Abbigail, and I’m one of the Ambassador Animal and Bird Keepers here at Zoo Atlanta. Working in two different departments means I probably don’t have a typical work week like most other keepers. Instead, I get to help care for all kinds of animals across the Zoo, from snakes, lizards and tortoises to rabbits, chinchillas, and armadillos. From cranes, storks and hornbills to owls, hawks, and vultures. Every day is a new adventure for me!

On days I work with Ambassador Animals, you may see me over in Outback Station in the contact yard with our new baby goats, Shiro, Ponyo and Haku, and our new baby sheep, Macaroni and Elbow! I could be found with our box turtle, 100% Post Consumer Recycled Cardboard (Cardboard for short), on an animal encounter. On weekends you may find me at Amy’s Tree Theater explaining how our legless lizard Voldemort may look like a snake, but isn’t. Or you may find me behind the scenes at our World of Wild Theater catching and releasing birds in our free-flying bird presentation! These might include Rwenzori the milky eagle owl, Cortez the blue-and-yellow macaw, or my personal favorite, Abby the Abyssinian ground hornbill (I promise there is absolutely no bias there).

On my days working with the Bird Department, you may spot me in our white stork habitat with Betty, Vanna, Flo and Lilly cleaning their pond. I could be hanging some enrichment items for our blue-throated macaws Miguel and Tulio, or maybe carrying some dinner to our pair of wrinkled hornbills Malfoy and Strawberry. Although these birds aren’t soaring overhead or being walked with keepers around the Zoo like the Ambassador Animals, you can still get to know many of the birds during Keeper Talks throughout the week! You can watch our lappet-faced vultures Amana, Anubis and new baby Seti being fed, or learn more about our southern ground hornbills Zazu and Gumby!

I love being able to care for such a wide variety of animal species, but my favorite parts of my day are sharing my love for our wildlife with all of you! Be sure to keep an eye out for me on your next visit to Zoo Atlanta and see how many different areas you can spot me in.

Abbi E.
Ambassador Animals and Bird Team