Zookeepers

by William Russell

24 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent little easy reader about the work of zookeepers. There’s a nice line exploring the concept of empathy:

Zookeepers have a motto about animal exhibits. “If you wouldn’t want to live and eat in here, the animals wouldn’t either.”

I do have a couple of concerns about the photo choices, however.

Although the text doesn’t mention the keeping of dolphins and whales in captivity, the cover shows an image of a vet leaning over a concrete dolphin tank. Increasing numbers of people believe that cetaceans (dolphins and whales) simply aren’t cut out for aquarium life, as evidenced by their health problems and high mortality rate, despite top-notch vet care.

It also should be noted that in two of the photographs showing a keeper working with elephants, the keeper is carrying a cane-shaped bull hook, a device that doesn’t exactly engender pleasant thoughts.