Visit-A-Job: Pandas!
Posted at 8:45 am April 18, 2006 by Mary Zanotelli
Visit-A-Job is an exciting raffle opportunity for staff of the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park: winning employees get to spend a day working in the department of their choice. It's a fun and fulfilling way to become familiar with"”and sometimes immersed in"”areas of the Zoo or Park that we might otherwise only know from a distance. For example, food service employees can try out the role of gardener, administrative personnel can spend the day beside a CRES scientist, etc. Last week, a Wild Animal Park educator (me) got to see what it's like to be a panda keeper!
My Visit-A-Job day began at 6 a.m. The Zoo was already buzzing with activity. Buildings and Grounds Department employees were cleaning and prepping guest areas, keepers were delivering breakfast to their charges, and security personnel were making sure everything was in place.
I was excited to be going behind the scenes at the Giant Panda Research Station and to see the Zoo's famous two-toned celebrities up close and personal. The panda keepers' workspace was ample, but not exactly posh (see photo above with keepers Kathy and Angie). There was a computer, video monitors, a refrigerator, a kitchen, and lots of counter space. (They've since added some badly needed chairs!) The panda enclosures had air conditioning indoors, plus outdoor sun rooms, exercise rooms, and a grassy garden space. The area is kept at about 68 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees Celsius (pandas live in the chilly mountains of China), so most of the keepers have their coats at the ready.
Senior Keeper Kathy Hawk showed me around the " digs." I caught a glimpse of black and white through one of the doors: it was Gao Gao! For being called a giant panda, he was much smaller than I realized. Gao Gao was busily munching a bit of breakfast bamboo, using one paw to bring the food up to his mouth.
After oohing and aahing over my first panda sighting, it was time to get to work. My next installment will be posted soon!
Mary Zanotelli is an educator at the Wild Animal Park.
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April 18th, 2006 at 9:59 am
I got really excited at first… thinking that I could enter and win the raffle - but then quickly discovered that it was only for zoo employees. DARN! How exciting for you - and a great idea. I can't think of a better way to learn about the other areas of the zoo - and have some fun in the process. Congrats on your exciting day - and let us know how the rest of your experience was.
April 18th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Mary, you are so fortunate! There are so many of us out here who are so green with envy right now. You must tell us everything as it will be so interesting to hear it from your point of view with it not being your normal job.
I have a question I think many would like answered. When would the keepers consider putting water in the drinking pool? What age is safe for Su Lin to be exposed to a pool of water and start playing in it?
April 18th, 2006 at 10:33 am
You are the envy of every panda-holic across the world!!
April 18th, 2006 at 10:52 am
I am Bamboo Green with Black and White envy! Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your day! I can't wait to hear more! :o)
April 18th, 2006 at 11:20 am
What a great idea. Congrats, Mary, on your excellent, albeit temporary, " career opportunity. Can't wait to hear what happened next.
Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
April 18th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
You are so lucky! And Mary I know what you mean, I saw Gao Gao on TV recently and he looked much smaller than I thought he was.
April 19th, 2006 at 7:10 am
oh, oh, i got excited too! heck i would have bought every ticket possible! LOL i'm happy though that mary was sweet enough to share it with us. it's so wonderful to read all of the adventures of animals and keepers at the sdzoo!
Editor's note: Our Visit-A-Job program is a raffle only in that employees names are drawn each month–no purchase necessary!
April 19th, 2006 at 7:56 am
I saw a rare sighting of a bird on the panda cam this morning. Do you try to keep birds out on purpose? Did you have the foresight to do this in building the enclosure because of the prospect of the bird flu?
April 19th, 2006 at 8:10 am
Ohhhh! I am insanely jeolous! Have a great time, Mary and keep us pandaholics updated with your activities. Thank-you so much - in advance - for sharing!
April 27th, 2006 at 9:56 am
can a food service worker not work with the animal of their choice if they win the raffle.
Editor's note: A food service worker at the San Diego Zoo or the Wild Animal Park can indeed choose to visit any other area of the Zoo or Park if they are selected in the raffle, including an animal area of their choice.
August 31st, 2006 at 12:18 pm
wow, what a great program, how lucky you were. can't think of a better way to spend the day. can't think of anyone i would rather meet than a panda!!! for such a chance i would almost leave home, grandchildren and all. ( i live in marin county, way up north. the last time we visited, su lin was just a hope , not confrimed yet. bai yun was in her first week back, lucky for us we weren't there the week before. how ever i am so grateful for the cam as i visit it at least once a day . thank you, mary, for your account. that was exciting to share the wonder you felt. hope you get to return soon.
marty