Natasha Ryles

Keeper, Native wildlife and Ungulates, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

How long have you been working as a zookeeper/vet/vet nurse?

4 years

How did you get into zookeeping as a profession?

I was previously employed for the Monarto Zoo Visitor Services department for 2 years and started doing voluntary work with the keeping department. Eventually i was employed as a casual keeper.

What do you love most about your job?

Working with animals is very rewarding and we have a great team of people to work with. I also love working outdoors.

What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?

Conservation is very important to me so attending the 2008 Tammar Wallaby release into Innes National Park was a highlight. It was a great feeling to send the wallabies to their new home in the wild.

What was the final outcome from the trapping?

All of the wallabies were in great condition and almost every female had a pouch young, some of these females were wild born themselves. This indicates that they are breeding successfully which leads us to believe the population is self -sustained to a certain extent. These results indicate that the Tammar Wallaby Re-introduction Program has been an overall success.