With a wingspan of over 3 metres, the Andean Condor is the largest flying bird of prey in the world.
Staff Profile: Libby Hall
Libby Hall, Manager, Veterinary Quarantine Centre & Wildlife Hospital
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Where do you work at the zoo?
I work with all the different sections at Taronga Zoo: Wildlife Hospital, Australian Mammals, Birds, Ungulates.
Animals: All bird species at Taronga Zoo and most bird species. Rhinos, giraffes, hippos, eland, nocturnal animals, Australian fauna (platypus, echidnas, wombats, macropods, dasyurids etc) are all species that have been sick, injured or treated as part of the health protocol at Taronga including the big cats, elephants, rhinos, carnivores, reptiles, marine wildlife. Many species of Australian native fauna that come to the Wildlife Hospital sick, injured and orphaned including sea turtles, seals, large birds of prey, pelagic species and animals that have been confiscated or are being quarantined for Taronga.
How long have you been working as a zookeeper/vet nurse?
Keeper: 22 years Vet nurse: 16 years
How did you get into your profession?
I started work on Animal Records and transactions at Taronga Zoo. Later I moved to a Keeping position and then studied to be a vet nurse. I also worked and lived in Singapore at Jurong Birdpark for a time. I'm a member of the International Response Team for Oiled Wildlife and have worked at oil spills in Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, New Zealand and Spain. I also specialise in marine wildlife and rehabilitation techniques for wildlife.
What do you love most about your job?
Releasing rehabilitated wildlife. It's very satisfying returning animals to the wild and seeing them in their natural environment. Some animals arrive at the hospital with severe injuries and require weeks of intensive care and nursing and months of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Seeing them survive and be released is a great feeling for the whole team.
I love the fact that we work with so many different species and that we do not know what animals will be arriving for emergency care or requiring assistance in the zoo grounds. The fact that we can be feeding a tiny rainforest frog one minute and then treating a huge Kodiak bear the next makes me realise that I am very privileged.
What has been the wildest moment of your career so far?
Flying to South Africa as part of the international emergency response team after the Treasure Oil Spill in Capetown. 33,000 endangered African penguins were affected by the oil spill and I worked with a great team of people flown in from all over the world and many local volunteers. We washed, treated, fed, rehabilitated and released almost the entire world's population of these fantastic penguins. At one stage we had 18,000 birds in the rehabilitation yards - by far the highest number of birds and people that I have ever been responsible for. Returning 500 African penguins to the ocean off Cape Town is a moment that will be with me forever.
