life
A ZOOKEEPERS DIARY Our monthly spotlight on the superstars at the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park… and their keepers!
top ta e Cottonth ’ o c n e ‘K
BY JESS LEAPER
O
n the 12th of March the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park took the difficult and relatively early decision to close the park to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Lockdown in Gibraltar was still a week away, but with two cruise ships with over 3000 people due in to Gibraltar and a sunny weekend ahead, it was a risk the park management were not willing to take. The following Monday, all volunteers were asked to stay at home, the Head Keeper was put into 12-week self-isolation due to an underlying health condition and the Manager of the park was exhibiting strongly out of character symptoms
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compliant with COVID-19 and was advised to self-isolate for 10 days. Suddenly the Park was back to just three core Keepers, something the staff hadn’t experienced for many years, having been blessed with the help of some fantastic Volunteers and Interns. Over the following week, further protocols were drawn up to ensure the safety of staff and the animals at the AWCP. Information was flooding in from all directions. BIAZA, the British Zoo Association, sent through regular updates on potential risks to animals in zoos and precautionary measures for staff to take, particularly with primates. This was later extended to include bats and mustelids (in the AWCP’s
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case, the otters). The wearing of masks became obligatory in most animal enclosures, as much for the safety of the animals, as for the staff. Gloves are often worn by the Keepers, as long as they are mindful of the need to change between enclosures and wash their hands when the gloves are removed, however, they have now become a must and supplies were already low. Over the weeks of lockdown, the Keepers (and, now healthy, manager) have maintained the park and the care of the animals much as before. The workload is high, with just two staff working each day, but they generally feel privileged to be able to escape the confines of their homes into such a beautiful environment and GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAY 2020
