The end is finally here...

After a long ten weeks, it is finally time for me to go home. Even though this is my second summer interning in Omaha, I really love all the new things that I have learned. This summer felt very special to me in its own way by staying in one department versus going into a bunch of different ones. During my time here, I feel that I grew a stronger bond between all of the animals I took care of and with my crew.  By having these experiences, it really showed me what it’s like being a real keeper. I can really see how this job affects the people who work here. It is not just about picking up after animals, doing your daily training sessions or picking out enrichment. There is a lot more to this kind of job than that.

Through this job, you really see how getting to know the animals can really affect your life. Each individual has their own personality and story that makes them each unique. People often asked me, “Which animal that you take care of is your favorite?” I often have a hard time answering this question because each cat and bear I take care of is so cool in their own way. I love Yorgi, our male Amur tiger, because he is just a sweet old cat despite how huge he is which is enough information to know about him in order to adore him. In addition, I really like Payson, our white Bengal tiger because she is just so energetic and greets me every time I see her. And Nat, our Amur leopard, is very cool because she is so intelligent. Manny, our jaguar is very awesome too because his markings are so beautiful as well as his charming behavior he distracts me with while I’m trying to clean his back holding. In addition, Mai, the Malaysian tiger, is awesome because of her unique story as a three legged tiger and where her life continues at the Omaha zoo. Lastly, Josiri, our young male lion has a unique place in my experiences. Josiri has been probably one of the most difficult animals that I got to work with between this and last summer. His personality is very difficult in all ways possible for any keeper. He can come off as very intimidating, frustrating because he does not cooperate as well and is hard to keep up with without giving in for him. However, there were a couple of times where I catch him watching me washing windows in the morning, or just walking by and he didn’t look angry at me for once. There may be a possibility he is just showing off how tough he is, but deep down, I feel that he might make an exception to like me.

After a long summer with these amazing animals and people, my connection with them does not stop here. These experiences will follow me for the rest of my life. I hope they continue as I finish my last semester at school and hopefully find a job where I can pursue as a lifetime career. Even though some people may not see this as an ideal job, this kind of career is very fulfilling to me in more ways than just a paycheck. Despite how dirty and physically strenuous this career lifestyle may be, working with these amazing animals is more fulfilling to me than any other job I can think of. That in itself is very unique and enough for me to love what I hope to do in the near future.