Working at a zoo is everything you could possibly want in a job/career-with the
exception of course of money.
One of those perks is the stories you accumulate to tell friends and family.
It is odd but a good story rarely has any actual good in it. i will mention no names except the animal involved. The Year (I'm pretty sure) was 1978. The place- St Louis Zoo, The time -closing. A curator and a keeper were attempting to bring the Grevy's zebras inside for the night. The women folk were either not let out that day or came inside with no trouble (I honestly have no idea). The male Jack was not having it. In such a case the plan was for one person to slowly walk around the perimeter for the male to run inside. The curator was the one walking and Jack decided to attack. He eventually got the curator by the ankle and foot and and crushed into itty bitty pieces. The curator saved his life by grabbing the ears and holding on for dear life. A zoo ranger was coming by surveyed the scene and from the public area fired his gun and hit Jack in the flank, which had the affect of pissing Jack off all the more. The other went and got the gun from the ranger
and popped Jack in the head 5 times. Jack went down. As they were carting the curator off he was asked if his underwear was clean- his answer- it was this morning. Many zoo stories involve soiled clothing. About half hour later Jack comes to his feet!
They waited about two weeks before knocking Jack out to assess his wounds.
As it happened the normal zoo veterinary tech was on vacation and I was
filling in for him. The zoo had a fairly state of the art portable X-Ray machine
but the X-rays were taken on site and then had to be brought back the the hospital. My job that day was to run the X-rays back to the hospital then develop them and take them back. I don't remember if they had 1 or two plates
but it took a few trips. Toward the end I was dropping off x-ray(s). In the stall which was maybe 300-400 square feet was the machine, a couple veterinarians a couple curators and a handful of keepers myself and Jack. As I entered the stall Jack sat up and let out a wall shaking bray. Nobody said anything, nobody moved, everyone was scared shiiteless. Now I was young so my heart and sphincter held the line I don't know that would be the case today. Jack fell back to his side. The X-rays were cool with the 5 shots in the skull and one in his abdomen. Jack lived to father two more foals but died like 8 months later of peritonitis where the abdominal bullet eventually knicked his intestines.
well thats my best story- what you gots?
exception of course of money.
One of those perks is the stories you accumulate to tell friends and family.
It is odd but a good story rarely has any actual good in it. i will mention no names except the animal involved. The Year (I'm pretty sure) was 1978. The place- St Louis Zoo, The time -closing. A curator and a keeper were attempting to bring the Grevy's zebras inside for the night. The women folk were either not let out that day or came inside with no trouble (I honestly have no idea). The male Jack was not having it. In such a case the plan was for one person to slowly walk around the perimeter for the male to run inside. The curator was the one walking and Jack decided to attack. He eventually got the curator by the ankle and foot and and crushed into itty bitty pieces. The curator saved his life by grabbing the ears and holding on for dear life. A zoo ranger was coming by surveyed the scene and from the public area fired his gun and hit Jack in the flank, which had the affect of pissing Jack off all the more. The other went and got the gun from the ranger
and popped Jack in the head 5 times. Jack went down. As they were carting the curator off he was asked if his underwear was clean- his answer- it was this morning. Many zoo stories involve soiled clothing. About half hour later Jack comes to his feet!
They waited about two weeks before knocking Jack out to assess his wounds.
As it happened the normal zoo veterinary tech was on vacation and I was
filling in for him. The zoo had a fairly state of the art portable X-Ray machine
but the X-rays were taken on site and then had to be brought back the the hospital. My job that day was to run the X-rays back to the hospital then develop them and take them back. I don't remember if they had 1 or two plates
but it took a few trips. Toward the end I was dropping off x-ray(s). In the stall which was maybe 300-400 square feet was the machine, a couple veterinarians a couple curators and a handful of keepers myself and Jack. As I entered the stall Jack sat up and let out a wall shaking bray. Nobody said anything, nobody moved, everyone was scared shiiteless. Now I was young so my heart and sphincter held the line I don't know that would be the case today. Jack fell back to his side. The X-rays were cool with the 5 shots in the skull and one in his abdomen. Jack lived to father two more foals but died like 8 months later of peritonitis where the abdominal bullet eventually knicked his intestines.
well thats my best story- what you gots?