Keeper Educational Exchange Programme

11/09/2025

✨ KEEP Conservation Launch! ✨🌎

We’re thrilled to announce the very first KEEP Conservation placement, in partnership with the Toucan Rescue Ranch, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 and the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK)!

This December (with flexible dates late November – early January), we’ll be sending two experienced zookeepers—one from the UK and one from the USA— for a minimum of 2 weeks on an unforgettable placement to Costa Rica to support the rehabilitation of both adult and baby sloths. 🦥💚

The Toucan Rescue Ranch receive and care for confiscated, sick and injured animals from native government agencies across Costa Rica with the mission to rescue, rehabilitate and where possible release.

Placement Details:

You will be involved in feeding the sloths, cleaning, physical rehabilitation through exercise, monitoring infant and adult sloths plus more. You may also be involved in aiding the clinic with procedures and helping in the care of other animals not just sloths.

This amazing opportunity is open to keepers with 5+ years’ paid full time experience. You must be currently working with Xenarthra species e.g. sloth/anteaters/armadillo but sloth experience preferred.
All applicants must be registered KEEP or AAZK members to apply.

Due to the remote location, accommodation is provided onsite at a cost of: $210/week (this includes 3 meals a day & space inside a shared room).

The closing date for applications: 30th September 2025

This is a rare opportunity to share your expertise, build capacity on the ground, and contribute directly to wildlife conservation. 🌱🦥

📩 Applications are now open –
https://www.keeperexchange.org/vacancy/keep-conservation-toucan-rescue-ranch/
To apply please send an email to [email protected] expressing your interest, we'll confirm if you are a KEEP/AAZK member and then can send you the TRR application form and more information on how to apply:

In the meantime to showcase the work Toucan Rescue Ranch do with sloths and whet your appetite click the link below;
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCpVg109wQM&list=PLU-q2tF0f-ZXv1aepyl72ll6R53HVS_Ue&t=54s
🦥🦥🦥

09/09/2025

📣NEW PLACEMENT ALERT! 📣

Team Building with Bite are offering a brilliant 3 to 9 day placement (flexible and dependent on applicant) with them whilst they redevelop the meerkat enclosure at Fenn Bell Zoo!

The TBWB team will be redeveloping the meerkat enclosure at Fenn Bell, increasing the height and furnishing it with multiple structures and enrichment for multiple species, creating an awesome enclosure for four species to live in!

TBWB are offering a position for one or two people to come and join them for part or all of this project, with a minimum of three of the nine days required, which can be determined by you. Experience in basic tool use and a willingness to learn and be proactive is important! There will be have plenty of the team on site who you will be able to shadow and learn from, so this is the perfect opportunity for somebody who would like to increase their skill set and see how a large project comes about.
Experience in basic tool use and a willingness to learn and be proactive is important! There will be have plenty of the team on site who you will be able to shadow and learn from, so this is the perfect opportunity for somebody who would like to increase their skill set and see how a large project comes about.

To get the chance to work with this fantastic team and helping to make an exciting new home for these fantastic animals whilst working with their dedicated and experienced team, register with us and get your application in.

* Minimum experience requirement is 1 year of full time animal keeping experience in the UK and Ireland. *
Please remember to include a CV and cover letter with your application to state your interest in taking part.
Deadline for application is 21/09/2025
Placement dates: 02/10/2025 - 11/10/2025 (Min 3 days required up to full 9 days)

https://www.keeperexchange.org/vacancy/fenn-bell-zoo-meerkat-enclosure-redevelopment-for-multiple-species/

09/09/2025

Big shout out to our friends at the newly launched who have gone live with their website and hopefully many more exciting things to follow!

We aren't biased at the KEEP team as we have representatives from zoos big to small and want to help all keepers and their animals. Small zoos however face a unique set of challenges that are better faced working together hence the launch of the network!

More info here; https://www.smallzoonetwork.co.uk/

07/09/2025

🥳 KEEP PLACEMENT SUCCESS!🥳

Thalia from Jersey Zoo took part in an exchange with the amazing gorilla team at Howletts Wild Animal Park where she got chance to work with their multiple breeding groups of Western lowland gorillas!

Thalia said: "I had an amazing time with the Gorilla team at Howletts! The team are super welcoming and I learnt a lot in just a few days. It was incredible to meet so many gorillas and gain some very valuable information on their social structures and introductions. I can’t wait to work on some new enrichment ideas!"

We want to say a huge thank you to the team at Howletts for being fantastic hosts, and to Thalia for taking part and getting stuck in! 🤩
Don't forget, if you're currently a Zookeeper with over a year's paid experience, you're eligible for the programme! To register now, head to www.keeperexchange.org - you never know where you may end up!

06/09/2025

📣NEW PLACEMENT ALERT! 📣 - LESS THAN A WEEK TO DEADLINE

Colchester Zoo is offering an awesome 2 day placement with their primate team!
The team cares for a wide range of species, including three species of lemur, black headed spider monkeys, buffy headed capuchin, cherry crowned mangabeys, chimpanzees and Bornean orangutan!

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to help with a range of husbandry tasks including cleaning and maintaining enclosures, preparation and distribution of diets and assisting in the provision of enrichment, with the ability to thoroughly discuss enrichment on section. There will also be the chance to observe some of the positive reinforcement training carried out with the species on section.

* Minimum experience requirement is 1 year of full time animal keeping experience. *
Deadline for application is 12/09/2025
Placement dates: 09/10/2025 - 10/10/2025
https://www.keeperexchange.org/vacancy/primate-keeper-6/

🐒🐻🦥

05/09/2025

Have 5 minutes on your morning tea or coffee break? ☕
Want to learn more about KEEP, what we do, why we do it and some of our future plans?
Well why not check out our article as well as several other interesting reads in the EAZA quarterly magazine "Zooquaria" which can be found at; https://www.eaza.net/zooquaria/
Happy reading! 🐒

01/09/2025

The KEEP team are going wild!... and we need your help! 🦥🐒🇨🇴

The KEEP team are always looking for new exchanges, keepers and animals to support - which brings us to our biggest adventure yet! We have been invited to Colombia in November to attend the ALPZA (Association of Latin American zoos and aquariums) Conference at Bioparque Ukumari!

The zoos and aquariums of Latin America are very keen to set up keeper exchanges across the continent but have asked for our help in doing so as there are so many benefits for animals and keepers! As well as the associated conservation projects with the fantastic array of wild life found in the region!

ALPZA/Bioparque Ukumari have kindly assisted with providing accommodation but we need your help in getting there!

KEEP is run by keepers for keepers and this is purely a passion project for us and unless we ask for help we bear the brunt of costs ourselves which is tricky on a zookeeper salary!

With this in mind he have decided to launch our first ever GoFundMe to go towards our flight costs and every penny/peso would go along way and mean an awful lot in getting us there!

We will be presenting a talk at this conference and so generous donors may well make an appearance in the presentation...!

https://gofund.me/1564874e

30/08/2025

🥳 KEEP PLACEMENT SUCCESS!🥳

Jack from Battersea Park Children's Zoo took part in an exchange with the amazing browse team at ZSL where he got chance to work with their specialist team and learn all things tree browse!

Jack said; "It was really interesting to experience a role not directly working with animals and to develop a further understanding of sustainable harvesting and forestry practises. Lou was very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining the thoughts and processes that allow for a wide range of browse to be provided to various species. It was great to discuss ideas and projects that I could implement back at Battersea too. I’d definitely recommend these types of placements to all keepers to expand knowledge across wider areas within the animal care field!”

We want to say a huge thank you to the team at ZSL for being brilliant hosts, and to Jack for taking part and getting stuck in! 🤩

Don't forget, if you're currently a Zookeeper with over a year's paid experience, you're eligible for the programme! To register now, head to www.keeperexchange.org - you never know where you may end up!

28/08/2025

🥳 KEEP PLACEMENT SUCCESS!🥳

Georgie from Blair Drummond Safari Park took part in an exchange with the amazing ape team at Jersey Zoo where she got chance to work with their breeding groups of Western lowland gorillas and Sumatran orangutans!

Georgie said; "My experience at Jersey Zoo and with the Ape team was amazing. I was able to watch the build up to their successful hand injection of anaesthetic to an adult male Sumatran Orangutan as well as understand the training and shaping plans used to achieve ECG readings from all their apes. I've come away with new enrichment ideas, a plan for making silage and an understanding of what it is like to work with other Apes. The team were incredibly friendly and welcoming and really made the experience, and of course the Gorillas and Orangutans were incredible."

We want to say a huge thank you to the team at Jersey for being brilliant hosts, and to Georgie for taking part and getting stuck in! 🤩

Don't forget, if you're currently a Zookeeper with over a year's paid experience, you're eligible for the programme! To register now, head to www.keeperexchange.org - you never know where you may end up!

25/08/2025

📣NEW PLACEMENT ALERT! 📣 - LESS THAN A WEEK TO APPLY!
Hertfordshire Zoo is offering an exciting 2 day placement with their primates, small mammals and sun bear team!
Home to a wide range of species from binturongs to pygmy marmosets to gibbons!
To get the chance to work with these fantastic animals whilst working with their dedicated and experienced keepers, register with us and get your application in.
* Minimum experience requirement is 1 year of full time animal keeping experience. *

Deadline for application is 31/08/2025
Placement dates: 23/09/2025 - 24/09/2025
https://www.keeperexchange.org/.../mammals-primates.../
🐒🐻🦥

24/08/2025

📣NEW PLACEMENT ALERT! 📣 - LESS THAN A WEEK TO APPLY!

Hertfordshire Zoo is offering a brilliant 2 day placement with their fantastic collection of big cats!
Home to Asiatic lions, Amur tigers, snow leopards and jaguars this is an excellent opportunity for feline fans!
To get the chance to work with these fantastic animals whilst working with their dedicated and experienced keepers, register with us and get your application in.
* Minimum experience requirement is 1 year of full time animal keeping experience. *
Deadline for application is 31/08/2025
Placement dates: 23/09/2025 - 24/09/2025
https://www.keeperexchange.org/vacancy/cats/
🦁🐅🐆

23/08/2025

😁Appreciation Post 😁

We would like to thank the amazing team at Kiezebrink UK Ltd who are really generous sponsors of KEEP!

With the help of Kiezebrink's generosity we will be able to increase opportunities for keepers across the board to attend placements far and wide by being able to offer subsidies and grants! Ultimately we want to make KEEP accessible for as many as possible and Kiezebrink's support will go a long way to facilitate this!

https://www.kiezebrink.co.uk/
🐒🦒🐦

We are a not-for profit organisation and every penny goes into helping facilitate keeper exchanges and animal welfare! We have 4 levels of sponsorship if your organisation/company would be interested supporting KEEP and helping to facilitate keeper exchanges and improving animal welfare!
All support is appreciated both financially and also by hosting placements/sending keepers on placements!
If you are a collection interested in supporting us in either way please don't hesitate to get in touch as we'd love to hear from you!

https://www.keeperexchange.org/ [email protected]

Keeper Educational Exchange Programme - KEEP

11/09/2025

09/09/2025

09/09/2025

07/09/2025

06/09/2025

05/09/2025

01/09/2025

30/08/2025

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23/08/2025

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