what i know now
zookeeper
age: 30
hometown: Prattville, Alabama
career: I am Zookeeper 2 of Africa at the Montgomery Zoo,
which means I am responsible for all the animals in the African realm,
including giraffes, lions, cheetahs, chimpanzees, zebras and pygmy
hippos. Our priority is to make the animals as comfortable and happy
as possible, but we also maintain the animals’ habitats and night
quarters, observe the health of the animals, provide enrichment, train
behaviors that allow for better medical care, and educate the public.
education: I attended Auburn University, where I received my
Bachelors of Zoology/Pre-Vet. When I first started college, I wanted to
be a veterinarian. As I started volunteering more with animals I knew
I wanted to be a zookeeper, so I changed my major to zoology and
started searching for opportunities that allowed me to work more with
exotic animals.
it's a jungle out there
growing up: My mother is also an animal lover. We always had
dogs and cats, but we also had other animals such as homing pigeons,
hamsters, gerbils, snakes, chameleons, fish, finches, donkeys, horses,
alpacas, and chickens...just to name a few. My dad was constantly
asking, “What did you bring home this time?”
michelle
johnson
secret to success: Being willing to admit when I do not
know the answer or when I am wrong has greatly contributed to
my success. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one person knows
everything. Being willing to admit you are human is something
people can relate to, so by being honest you can earn respect.
parental impact: My parents (David Walter, Director of the
state of Alabama’s Radiation Department, and Josine Walter, 4H
Extension officer for Coosa and Chilton counties) were constantly
encouraging me to follow my dreams. They were also very supportive
when I wanted to gain experience in the animal/zoo field.
other influences: My grandfather, Bob Lloyd, never met a
stranger, and was always kind and giving. He taught me that no matter
how difficult you might think your life is, there is always someone that
is going through more, so there is no reason to constantly be negative
and bring yourself and others around you down.
advice for teens: You don’t have to know exactly what you
want to be or do when you “grow up.” You can narrow down things
that really make you happy and start there. Say you like science/
nature but also really like literature—take a few science courses and
some English courses, and see what you might like better. If you still
cannot decide, there is always the option of minoring, or even double
majoring. A lot of people don’t declare their majors until their second
or third year!
can’t live without
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Animals
downtime
eye opener: In an animal-based field, you really need “people
I love going to painting classes. Of course, the
ones where we are painting animals are the best!
8 |
Spring 2018
skills.” You need to be able to work in difficult situations with your
coworkers and communicate well. One of the most important parts
of my job is to educate the public. It is not about telling them they are
wrong, but giving them a different point of view and teaching them
something they didn’t know.
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