Training helps zookeepers know their animals

FOUR animal keepers at the Port Moresby Nature Park recently attended a training at the zoo in Melbourne, Australia.
They participated in a three-day workshop for zookeepers focusing on the future of zoo animal welfare, conducted by Zoos Victoria at the Melbourne Zoo.
Port Moresby Nature Park’s Life Sciences manager Ishimu Bebe, who also attended the workshop, said as an accredited zoo, the Port Moresby Nature Park cared about their animals and ensured that the best possible welfare was given.
The trip was part of Nature Park’s commitment to developing and enhancing the skills of their staff to meet international zoo-keeping standards.
The training was focused on animal welfare, ethics and an overview of zoos as an organisation.
The sessions included discussing with other zookeepers strategies on animal enrichment and animal enclosure designs.
They walked through some of the exhibits to study the behaviour of the animals. Emma Oliver has been an animal handler at the Port Moresby Nature Park for almost a year.
“As an animal keeper, it is my duty and responsibility to ensure the welfare of animals under my care are met,” she said.
“The training got me to realise that to better understand the animals I take care of, I would have to learn more about their natural habitat to create an environment that suits the animal while it is in captivity.”