Today, August 1st, 2019, is the 59th year since I began working at Chessington Zoo, Surrey, UK. as Keeper-in - charge of Birds. Lots of water under the bridge since then, and many, many changes in the zoo world and animal care etc.. Cheers to all keepers!
Anniversary
- Thread starter Terry Thomas
- Start date
You started work at Chessington Zoo at almost exactly the same time as I first visited there as a very young child.
Please can you share some more of your memories about the animals you looked after there; I'm sure you have some interesting stories to tell.
Even after all this time I still have many clear memories of my time at Chessington Zoo.
In 1960 this zoo still had several exhibits in quite small barred cages, including lions and tigers. When I left, to emigrate to Australia, these were displayed in large open areas. The bird house was small, and the exhibits very difficult to enter, with small doors that had to be entered by crouching. I often had a sore back, from standing up too soon! Every morning the front entry doors were opened, and left open all day. During my first winter I was at a loss to find that the thermostat that controlled the temperature kept resetting to a much higher temperature, sometime during each night. After this occurred several times, I raised the problem with the Head Keeper, who informed me that as these were topical birds they need a higher minimum temperature than I had been setting, and he had been adjusting to the higher temps.. I was a bit fiery in those days, and there was a heated discussion about tropical birds, my decisions as Keeper - in -charge of Birds and my knowledge of bird care etc., etc.. I got my own way, and set the thermostats lower. I was proved to be correct, when at the end of that winter I had been more successful than several previous keepers, with fewer losses occurring.
Zoos were very different in the 1960's, with many then accepted practices being thought of as 'normal', including lone keeper entry to many exhibits that I am sure would not be accepted today.