Profession zoo curator

Zoo curators are usually the position of middle-management within an institution. Much of their work involves oversight, management and development of the animal collection. Often this is related to animal husbandry and welfare policy, the acquisition and disposition of zoo animals, and development of new exhibits. Zoos normally acquire animals through captive breeding programs. The zoo collection, trade, and transport of the animals is regulated by government agencies as well as guided by zoo membership organisations. Consequently, zoo curators act as a liaison between these agencies and the zoo itself. Additionally, they play an active role in the administration of zoo functions and all kinds of captive breeding programs.

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Personality Type

• Enterprising / Conventional
• Enterprising / Investigative

Knowledge

• Environmental legislation

  The environmental policies and legislation applicable in a certain domain.

• Anatomy of animals

  The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.

• Corporate social responsibility

  The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.

• Physiology of animals

  The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.

• Animal breeding programmes

  Principles relevant to breeding programme management, such as population genetics and demographics, national and international legislation, policies and procedures of industry relevant organisations or associations.

• Budgetary principles

  Principles of estimating and planning of forecasts for business activity, compile regular budget and reports.

• Applied zoology

  The science of applying animal anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behaviour in a particular practical context.

• Animal acquisition

  The relevant legal, recommended and ethical considerations related to the acquisition and disposition of animals.

• Recreation activities

  The field and characteristics of recreational activities for customers.

• Animal welfare legislation

  The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.

• Animal evolution

  The evolutionary history of animals and the development of species and their behaviour through domestication.

• Zoo regulations

  National, regional and international regulations related to zoos.

Skills

• Oversee animal management

  Oversee all aspects of animal management.

• Ensure health and safety of visitors

  Take the necessary precautions to ensure the physical safety of an audience or people visiting an activity. Prepare actions in case of emergency. Administer first aid and direct emergency evacuations.

• Manage operational budgets

  Prepare, monitor and adjust operational budgets together with the economical/administrative manager/professionals in the arts institute/unit/project.

• Work effectively with other animal-related organisations

  Develop and sustain relationships with other organisations such as charities, government agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations and representative bodies, in relation to furthering animal health and welfare. Communicate veterinary principles and operate within multidisciplinary teams comprised of persons with varying degrees of scientific and administrative knowledge.'

• Ensure health and safety of staff

  Promote and maintain a culture of health, safety and security among the staff by maintaining policies and procedures for the protection of vulnerable participants and when necessary, dealing with suspicions of possible abuse.

• Assess the compatibility of individuals and animals to work together

  Ensure work harmony between humans and animals, regarding to physical characteristics, capacity, temperament and potential.

• Perform project management

  Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.

• Manage logistics

  Create logistic framework for transporting goods to customers and for receiving returns, execute and follow up the logistics processes and guidelines.

• Maintain professional records

  Produce and maintain records of work performed.

• Manage zoo staff

  Manage zoo staff, including zoo keeping staff at all levels and/or veterinarians and/or educators and/or horticulturalists.

• Schedule recreation facilities

  Schedule the use of recreational facilities.

• Represent the organisation

  Act as representative of the institution, company or organisation to the outside world.

• Maintain catalogue collection

  Describe, inventorise and catalogue items in the collection.

• Manage supplies

  Monitor and control the flow of supplies that includes the purchase, storage and movement of the required quality of raw materials, and also work-in-progress inventory. Manage supply chain activities and synchronise supply with demand of production and customer.

• Administer treatment to animals

  Administer animal medical interventions, including the treatments performed, medicines used, and assessments of the state of health.

• Fix meetings

  Fix and schedule professional appointments or meetings for clients or superiors.

• Develop zoonotic disease control policies

  Carry out research and elaborate policies, guidelines, and strategies for the control of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.

• Delegate activities

  Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.

• Chair a meeting

  Chairing a meeting for a group of people, in order to formulate plans and decisions that are carried out by the company.

• Establish daily priorities

  Establish daily priorities for staff personnel. Effectively deal with multi-task workload.

• Coordinate events

  Lead events by managing budget, logistics, event support, security, emergency plans and follow up.

• Speak different languages

  Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.

• Manage budgets

  Plan, monitor and report on the budget.

• Manage recreational facility

  Manage the daily operations of a cultural facility. Organise all activities and coordinate the different departments functioning within a cultural facility. Develop a plan of action and arrange the necessary funds.

• Set organisational policies

  Participate in setting organisational policies that cover issues such as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits for the service users.

• Advise on animal purchase

  Advise clients and customers on the purchase of animals.

• Manage staff

  Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

• Liaise with local authorities

  Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.

• Promote recreation activities

  Promote the implementation of recreation programs in a community, as well as recreation services provided by an organisation or institution.

• Follow company standards

  Lead and manage according to the organisation's code of conduct.

• Develop recreation programmes

  Develop plans and policies which aim to provide the desired recreation activities to a target group or in a community.

• Manage work

  Supervise, instruct and plan work for teams or individual members of the team. Set up time schedules and make sure they are followed.

• Read zoo reports

  Read and process the reports of zookeepers and other zoological professionals, and compile the information for zoo records.

• Organise zoological exhibitions

  Organise zoological exhibitions and the display of live animals and zoological collections.

• Supervise daily information operations

  Direct daily operations of different units. Coordinate program/project activities to assure the respect of costs and time.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB