My apprenticeship began this week, and although I will not be working with the elephants, as I originally hoped, I am not disappointed.
I’ve been assigned to String 7, where I work with goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, tropical birds, and lemurs. I spent my first weekend familiarizing myself with the daily chores of the zookeeper: preparing diets (i.e. chopping veggies & fruit), cleaning enclosures, observing the animals for general health, and getting a glimpse of the individual personalities of these critters.
For instance, I’ve learned first hand that Felix the goat does not particularly care for women. He let me know by head-butting me the first day. So now, I don’t turn my back on him. Then there’s Joanna and her buddy, Polly, the Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. They are both old, grumpy ladies, and they are nice to you if you have a bowl of food in your hands. Otherwise, well… suffice to say you better have a bowl in your hand.
Then, there are the sweet, adorable lemurs. I’m slowly learning to differentiate among the lemurs, but Chester is one I can’t miss. He’s hormonally challenged and has a pair of man-boobs. He’s a favorite among the zookeepers because he’s a sweetheart – and, well, he’s kind of amusing to watch.
He sits there, usually on his haunches, comfortably resting his arms on his “arm holders”.The photo on the right is not the best because I did not want to get too close to him and startle him. I’m in their space and I need to respect that.
But this is what I love most about these lemurs: they are sun-worshippers, just like me. Look at them:
They apparently follow the path of the sun along the ledge, and sit worshipping all day long.
It’s been an interesting start so far. Once I get the routine down, I’ll have more time to focus on the required project. It will probably include some kind of enrichment for the lemurs, since I am finding myself drawn to them.
Stay tuned for more…
