Berlin’s zoo is recruiting new staff to bathe with a baby pygmy hippopotamus, build cots for small pandas or release wild horses back into their native habitat, along with other roles.
Christian Kern, Zoological Director at Zoo and Tierpark Berlin, said on Friday that he was currently looking for “experienced zoo animal keepers. Ones that can lend a hand and carry out their job with passion, empathy and enthusiasm.’’
Ticket counter staff, garden helpers and electricians are also being sought.
Among the jobs on offer are lifeguards to help a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus get used to the water. The still nameless mini-hippo is currently being adapted to deeper water.
Hippos cannot actually swim, but instead glide through the water by pushing themselves off the bottom.
The baby’s mother, Debbie, is of course on hand, but zoo keepers also stand by to let more and more water into the pool, zoo spokeswoman Philine Hachmeister said.
The water is currently about knee-high and the hippo girl, who was born on June 3, has to stretch her head a lot to keep her nose above water. “She still needs to practise a bit,’’ Kern said.
Berlin’s zoological gardens are made up of the zoo, the Animal Park and aquarium, which together are home to 25,000 animals. Around 200 trained zoo keepers look after them.
“Working with animals means being on duty 365 days a year, whatever the weather. This requires a certain degree of flexibility and physical fitness,’’ Kern said. (dpa/NAN)
