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• Becoming an Animal Keeper

Being an animal keeper is a demanding career. Working in the animal keeping field can be as rewarding as it can be challenging. Animal keeping is a highly competitive field where there are usually a lot more potential animal keepers out there than there are animal keeping jobs. The Los Angeles Zoo hires only experienced keepers.

Anyone with an interest in becoming an animal keeper must meet the following minimum requirements:

One year of full-time paid experience in the care and maintenance of exotic animals with a facility similar to the Los Angeles Zoo which has as its main purpose the exhibition of a variety of exotic animals; or

(a) Successful completion of the Animal Keeper Training program conducted by the Los Angeles Zoo; or

(b) An equivalent program at an accredited school or college providing classroom and field work on the basic structure and function of exotic animals; basic nutritional requirements; recognition of the symptoms of animal diseases; sanitation measures; and aspects of animal behavior.

This class is offered only every two to three years in preparation for the City of Los Angeles's civil service exam for Animal Keeper. The last class was in 2009. The last civil service exam was given in mid-2009, establishing a new two-year list of eligible candidates. The next exam will not be given again until at least mid-2011, and information will be posted on this site as soon as it is available.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Zoo, please go to our Volunteer section.

An Equal Opportunity Employer
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association do not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities.

The Los Angeles Zoo is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunities in all phases of its employment practices.