Taronga’s Sun Bears were rescued from the restaurant trade in Cambodia in 1997 by Australian businessman John Stevens.
Keeper Profile: Louise Ginman
Louise Ginman, Unit Supervisor, Carnivore Unit, Taronga Zoo
What animals do you work with?
Carnivores!
How long have you been working as a zookeeper?
I have been working as a zoo keeper for the past 13 years. I began working at Taronga Zoo in 1994 where I first worked with the domestic stock in the Discovery Farm Unit. The Carnivore Unit then took me on 3 months later and I haven't looked back since.
How did you get into zookeeping as a profession?
I have been an animal person from the moment I can remember. As a young child, I was forever bringing home stray dogs to see if my dad would let me keep one - the answer was always ‘NO'. Finally I convinced dad to let me keep a young stray cat. From that moment onwards, I have always surrounded myself with pets of all kinds. As a teenager I had a passion for horses and so did work in stables both in Australia and overseas. On my return to Australia after 2 years of travel, I began working for a large veterinary Hospital in the Eastern Suburbs. I had on the job training in vet nursing, dog and cat grooming and also working in the boarding kennels and cattery. I loved my job and soaked up every bit of information and training that the vets could offer me. After four years I decided that I would like to further my career and so was lucky enough to become a keeper at Taronga Zoo.
What do you love most about your job?
I love all of it. To be able to come to work and see, hear and smell lions, tigers and bears (oh my!). But of course it's not just the big impressive animals that I love - I care for all the animals in the Carnivore Unit from the tiny Fennec Fox right through to the big cats. I never get tired of cleaning exhibits, talking to the public and trying to provide the best care I can for the animals I look after. Aside from just getting to spend my days working with these beautiful and amazing animals, I loved hand rearing our three African lion cubs - one of which we still have here at Taronga - the beautiful male ‘Bruiser' as we call him. That was my first hand rearing experience with big cats and it was amazing playing mum to such a majestic animal. I also never dreamed that I would get to hand rear Dhole pups either. Those kinds of opportunities don't come along often, but does make my job kinda special.
What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?
Gosh, the wildest..... well the day the young male Bongo escaped was pretty wild. At one point several of us keepers literally held him and his massive horns at bay to prevent him taking a leap into the Kodiak Bear exhibit.
The ‘wildest' moment of my career....you know there really isn't just one single really special moment but if I had to narrow down all the best moments I have had over 13 years so far, I would say ‘the day a baby is born'. The birth of a baby is such a special moment for keepers. For some species, it is the culmination of years of planning, months or years of careful introductions of the breeding pair, weeks of preparation and setting up for the birth. There's nothing quite like a baby to get even the hardest of keepers all gooey and ga ga.
Animal Update:
Sadly one of the pups did not make it. For the remaining pup ‘Jangala', after weeks of hand rearing he was very gradually reintroduced to the dhole group. He is now completely integrated into the group and enjoys hanging out with his dad in particular.
