So I work at a zoo (yes, there are pics) updated 8-14

[archcommus]

Are you a college student still? Mind letting us know how you got this job/how far it was/is from school/how many hours you work/worked/what kind of shifts you got?

Thanks.

 

[Homerboy]

dude this is sweet.
I live 10mins from the MKE Zoo and my kids are HORRIBLY addicted. We go at least once a week. So glad you posted this just for a fun "behind the scenes" look. We should meet up sometime we're there... get me some free mold-a-ramas!



Edit: now I gotta get to posting my MKE Zoo pics... I got piles

 

[Blieb]

awesome pics! thanks for posting!

 

[Homerboy]

My MKE Zoo pics for the past few years

Still uploading from home as I didn't reduce the size. Some suck, some are awesome. These are just the ones of the animals themselves, not of the kids running around.

Hope you enjoy.

 

[lagvoid]

cooool thanks for sharing.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Are you a college student still? Mind letting us know how you got this job/how far it was/is from school/how many hours you work/worked/what kind of shifts you got?

Thanks.

Still in college, going for Education.

I got this job going to a mass interview 4 summers ago. I applied to about 4-5 different departments including horticulture. I think they liked that I had previously worked at a small greenhouse.

I was lucky that I got into this department because it seems like the best for promotions. I started as a Zoo Worker 2 (most other departments would have started me as a 1).

After a month of doing a pretty good job, I was bumped up to a 3. The next summer I came back, I was moved up to a 4, which is pretty much as high as most people get.

I know of people that have worked in other departments for several years and they are still 1s.

The pay is pretty decent for me at $11.71 / hour to be outside and basically get paid to work out in the afternoons
I'd be a tub if it wasn't for the zoo.


In the summer I live in Wauwatosa about 7-8 minutes away from the zoo. I go to UW-Madison for the school year.


I usually work slightly over 40 hours a week. Sometimes there are some big projects that come up though (like the Dinosaur exhibit that is currently there)

:Q I should totally take some pictures of that, I'm a moron. I just sort of never go in there since two of the women I work with are pretty much the set crew that works in there in the morning.

EDIT: Looks like Homerboy has me covered on that. Our crew did all the surroundings for the dinosaurs.

During Zoo a la carte, our crew helps out the grounds crew with garbage pickup and during those 4 days, I tend to get some pretty serious hours. The last three years, I've worked around 16-18 hours a day during those four days. I'm not sure what the word is for this year yet.

My shifts are always 5:30am starting, with 1:30pm the usual end time.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
dude this is sweet.
I live 10mins from the MKE Zoo and my kids are HORRIBLY addicted. We go at least once a week. So glad you posted this just for a fun "behind the scenes" look. We should meet up sometime we're there... get me some free mold-a-ramas!



Edit: now I gotta get to posting my MKE Zoo pics... I got piles

If I could get free mold-a-ramas, I'd have a collection of my own

I can't even get free popcorn officially around here, although sometimes a nice zoo worker will offer

EDIT: Thanks for the pics :thumbsup:

 

[ballmode]

nice pics

you need a tv show

 

[lokiju]

Damn and I thought my tempur-pedic post was long!

 

[pontifex]

hehe, the wwolf looks like its about ready to piss on you.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: pontifex
hehe, the wwolf looks like its about ready to piss on you.

Kind of looks like it already got me too

( it's just water, I swear )

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: pontifex
hehe, the wwolf looks like its about ready to piss on you.

Kind of looks like it already got me too

( it's just water, I swear )

lies

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Bump for update

 

[dawnbug]

Nice addition of pictures.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Nice addition of pictures.

And now I don't have to tell you about my day :thumbsup:

 

[dawnbug]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Nice addition of pictures.

And now I don't have to tell you about my day :thumbsup:

But then what will we have to talk about?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Nice addition of pictures.

And now I don't have to tell you about my day :thumbsup:

But then what will we have to talk about?

Private stuff?

 

[dawnbug]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: LadyBuggy
Nice addition of pictures.

And now I don't have to tell you about my day :thumbsup:

But then what will we have to talk about?

Private stuff?

Hmm, I guess that's true.

 

[BoberFett]

Bump for a cool photo essay.

 

[Homerboy]

just got back from the MKE Zoo today with the kids... to say it was busy is a gross undertatement.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Yeah, weekends kind of suck. I'm glad I had off.

On the weekends, we have three people to water the whole zoo instead of 5-7 like a normal day. I get sorta stressed out about it ( maybe that's why I have a decent amount of grey hair for a 22 year old )

Some days it gets so bad that it's virtually impossible to go any faster in a golf cart than it would be to just walk somewhere. It's not relaxing either, since hitting someone would be pretty bad

Kids around the water misters seem to lose all track of reality and will dart out screaming with excitement at any moment. The way some people drive around the zoo is pretty scary. I try to be pretty careful when there are people around, but some days it still seems like only a matter of time.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

You have to admit though... water misters are really cool and feels like heaven on a hot day.

Congrats on that letter, must be nice to get something like that :thumbsup:

 

[totalcommand]

dude, this thread rocks. BUMP!

great post!!!!

i wish all of atot was like this.

 

[secretanchitman]

red panda = firefox!

btw...are there any koalas at your zoo? if there are...would it be possible for you to take pics of them and post on here?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Thanks guys.

Last time I went into the Australian building, there was a Koala or two... that was quite a while ago though (like last year I think). I don't really go into the buildings a whole lot.

I'll try to remember to see if I can take a couple for you.

I'll warn you that they wont be any better than anybody else's Koala pics since I'll just be taking them from the regular area

Some of the animals (like the outdoor ones) I can get past the railing and get right up to them, but not these guys.

We actually fed the Moose some grape vine right after I took that picture of him. I'd host it, but I'm not the one in the movie (and I didn't ask her if I could post it) and my movies from my SD 700 IS are fricking huge