Mandy Smith, Zoo Keeper
Adelaide Zoo
Section/animals worked with: South East Asia
How long have you been working as a zookeeper?
I was originally employed at Adelaide Zoo in the late 80s, after having worked previously in a wildlife park and open range zoo for about 5 years. I had a 10 year break (having children and pursuing equestrian interests!) before returning to Adelaide Zoo, and have been back for the past 9 years.
How did you get into zookeeping as a profession?
After finishing school I took a year off before going to Uni. During that year I landed a job at Urimbirra Wildlife Park in Victor Harbour, was hooked, and never looked back!
What's the best thing about your job?
The interaction with the animals and a feeling that I make a difference to their lives.
Animal welfare and behaviour are two very strong interests of mine - animals have so many ingenious strategies to cope with survival in the wild.
Giving the animals in my care the opportunities to be able to perform these behaviours gives me a real kick. I think seeing the animals displaying behaviours they would perform in the wild is just as important as just "seeing" the animal and the message is that much stronger as the public can appreciate and admire these fantastic abilities. An example of this is Akbar our male Sun Bear - he can use his claws as delicate pieces of cutlery as he dissects a honeydew melon, or with incredible strength as he pulls apart a log in search of termites!
And, most importantly the benefits to the animals' physical and mental health are huge.
What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?
I had a few back in the mid 80s when I worked in a zoo in a different state. OH&S didn't have a very high profile in those days! One that I will always remember is "walking the plank" To close a gate (that was located under water) to the hippo exhibit involved walking out over a lake on a plank that was split and had a few hippo teeth marks across it for good measure! This, along with the knowledge that hippos were responsible for the most human deaths in Africa was always good for getting the adrenalin flowing!
How is the baby langur doing now? How has he fitted into the family and particularly with auntie?
He has been named Nanti and is doing really well - very cheeky!!!
They are a very tight family group. Jambi ("Auntie" - who really isn't - but another animal who was hand raised, and has never had young herself) looks after him really well and is often more attentive than his real mum. She has developed a close bond with him and as a result seems to be much more confident and relaxed within the group. He has now completely lost his lovely orange colour and just looks like a miniature adult now! He enjoys playing with his older brother and dad. He spends most of his time away from mum now - unless she's feeling unsure about something (like strangers in the area) when she will go and grab him! We are hoping to introduce another female soon - so that will definitely have an impact on the dynamics of the group. Very exciting!