Alice Vassallo
Photo by Alice A Journey into the Humorous Heart of the Animal Kingdom
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“Alice never expected to become a zookeeper. But after volunteering at a wildlife centre, she discovered a calling to care for animals. With a degree in Classics, she landed her dream job at the London Zoo in 2014. Alice soon realised her unique gift - finding humour in even the most mundane zookeeping tasks. Now, with years of experience, she's ready to share the hilarious stories and insights from life behind the zoo gates, taking readers on a journey into the captivating, and often comical, animal kingdom.”
Background
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I was born and raised, for the most part, in Surrey, England. I loved Tigers growing up, I was obsessed with them, so it feels like I’ve come full circle working with them in my adult life!
Photo by Alice What inspired you to become a Zookeeper? Was this a lifelong dream or a path you discovered along the way?
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I never had big dreams to become a zookeeper. When I was at school, it didn’t even register that I COULD work with animals. I ended up studying “Classics” at University and only started volunteering with animals in my 2nd year of studying while I had some spare time. I spent my Friday nights volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation centre for a year and a half, and loved every minute.
Photo by Alice From there, I got a job at my local zoo, giving talks and presentations about the animals, and seeing all of the Zookeepers having these incredible bonds with their animals, I knew that was what I wanted to do. A few internships and a LOT of volunteering later, I was lucky enough to get my break working at the iconic London Zoo in 2014!
Photo by Alice What kind of education or training is required to become a Zookeeper?
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Nowadays, you’ll need a qualification of some sort. Either a diploma or degree, depending on the country you live in. But it’s VITAL to get some volunteering experience alongside your studies - you could be the top of your class, but if you can’t pick up poo, then you’re not going to be a great zookeeper!
Photo by Alice If you hadn't pursued a career as a Zookeeper, what other path might you have taken?
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I’ve always loved the idea of writing comedy, even from a young age. I would write jokes, songs, and even the school plays when I was old enough. I love the idea of merging comedy and nature, because the natural world is absolutely hilarious!
Photo by Alice What does a typical day look like for you as a Zookeeper? What are some of your key responsibilities?
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My main responsibilities as a Zookeeper are cleaning and feeding. Those are the basics. But, as Zookeepers, we also train our animals, provide enrichment for them in their enclosure, and spend a lot of time educating the public on why they’re incredible and also why we should protect these species. I like to think that Zookeepers are sort of a jack-of-all-trades. There’s a lot of handy work, behavioural psychology, plant knowledge and public speaking that goes into zookeeping, as well as knowing your stuff about the actual animals of course!
Photo by Alice What's been the most rewarding or challenging experience you've had as a Zookeeper?
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Any time I’ve had the opportunity to train an animal, it has always been the most rewarding thing as a Zookeeper. We train our animals for veterinary reasons (e.g. to go on some scales to weigh them, to go into a box in case we need to take them to the vet, to present their paws/mouth when we need to check them for injuries), and so when you see a breakthrough in an animal trusting you when you work together, it makes your heart absolutely full.
Photo by Alice I’ve worked with 2 Blue and Gold Macaws that absolutely hated the humans going into their enclosure, and now they let me trim their talons when they get too long! It’s that sort of work that really inspires me and keeps me going through the tough times.
Is there a particular animal you have a special fondness for, or feel a strong connection with?
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My BIG passion is Toucans, I’ve spent some time working with them out in the wild in Costa Rica, and nothing else will capture my heart in the same way. I mean, look at them! They’re incredible!
A close second though are Clouded Leopards, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with them since working with 2 sisters at my zoo, Shepreth Wildlife Park, and now I’m the Ambassador for the Clouded Leopard Working Group - a charity based in Nepal that are dedicated to saving them out in the wild.
Photo by Alice Your Instagram account, 'Asshole Animals with Alice,' showcases a humorous side to your approach to Zookeeping. Can you tell us a bit about this channel? What inspired you to create it, and what do you hope your followers take away from it?
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So, the account was originally meant just to be for my podcast, with the same name. In my podcast, I sit down with animal experts/enthusiasts and we discuss an animal of the week and determine if it’s an asshole or not! I’ve had some pretty incredible names come on, including Chris Packham, Bertie Gregory, Coyote Peterson and even “The Office”s Jenna Fischer!
Photo by Alice While I still post things from the podcast on the site, it’s sort of turned into a comedy account for all the funny things I witness on a day-to-day basis being a Zookeeper and working with animals. As I said, I love the idea of merging comedy with nature, so this channel is a fun way for me to express that not even Mother Nature herself is off limits to comedy!
Are you currently involved in any research projects or conservation programs, or have you been in the past?
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I’m involved with Clouded Leopards heavily, both as a member of the European breeding programme committee and also fundraising/advocating for the Clouded Leopard Working Group in my spare time. I’m also the Director of an NGO called the Keeper Educational Exchange Programme (or KEEP), where we organise for zookeepers to spend a few days at another zoo to learn from their team, so that they can trade ideas, get inspiration and network.
Photo by Alice What are your hopes and dreams for the future Alice?
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My hope is that I’m able to make nature-comedy a more widely accepted and beloved form of entertainment. I think it’s about time we approach nature education in a new and fun way - although the nature documentaries are great, I think people learn in different ways, and a lot of people learn best through comedy! Being paid to create some hilarious nature content that’s fun and educational would be the dream - so watch this space!
Photo of Alice's Instagram page