Bobby-Jo Vial
What animals do you work with?
I work in the Carnivore Division at Taronga and the animals I work with include: Meerkats, Red Pandas, Fennec Fox, Dhole, Snow Leopard, Sumatran Tiger, Lion, Kodiak Bear, Malayan Sun bear, Binturong, Otters.
How long have you been working as a zookeeper?
I have been working as a Zookeeper on the Carnivore Division for three years
How did you get into zookeeping as a profession?
I have had a passion for wildlife and nature from a very young age. I was always that weird little kid at school collecting cicada's and various insects. I started my zookeeping career at the Australian Reptile Park as a dedicated Volunteer. I then started volunteering at Taronga Zoo on the Carnivore Division which eventually led to my current position.
What do you love most about your job?
I love being surrounded by amazing animals each day. I love watching and observing their unique and different behaviours. I love watching a young animal grow into an adult. I love talking to zoo visitors and sharing my wildlife passion with them. Basically, I love everything about my job!
What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?
Each day brings a new wild moment but I would have to say that the most wild and amazing moments would be the birth of Zanzibar and Nairobi, our two precious Meerkat Pups and also the discovery of two Red Panda Cubs in 2007. I was cleaning the Red Panda exhibit and discovered two newborn Red Panda twins, only hours old. The Carnivore division had no idea that our Female Red Panda was expecting.
What do you find the most exciting about working with the Meerkat babies?
The most exciting thing about working with the Meerkat pups is actually watching how they interact with their family. I absolutely love to watch the Aunty Meerkats teaching the youngsters all the valuable Meerkat skills like how to eat a tasty mealworm. The pups are so precocious and are fast learning the Meerkat way of life! One of the most adorable sights is to watch the pups learning the art of "Sentry duty" they stand up on their hind legs, next to their mother and scan the skies for danger, young protectors in the making.
Working with Zanzibar and Nairobi has been the pinnacle of my career.