Harper 5

Samantha Harper
Harrell
English IV Honors
November 11, 2014

Research Question: What does a zookeeper have to do to maintain the safety of the animals in
the park?
Working-Thesis Statement: Zookeepers must follow certain rules and regulations when
receiving new animals to the zoo.
Refined Thesis Statement: Zookeepers and zoo veterinarians must follow a strict set of
guidelines in order to uphold the safety of new animals arriving to the zoo, and ones already in
the facility.
Annotated Bibliography
Amand, Wilber, Cook, Robert, Hinshaw, Keith, Joslin, Janis Ott, McBain, Jim, and Oosterhuis,
Jim. "Guidelines for Zoo and Aquarium Veterinary Medical Programs and Veterinary
Hospitals." 1 Jan. 1998. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
In the document, Guidelines for Zoo and Aquarium Veterinary Medical Programs and
Veterinary Hospitals, it speaks about the responsibilities of the zoo veterinarian, or zookeeper,
when shipping animals to the facility. The vet must sign a document stating that the animal is in
good health and able to be shipped. Any person that signs this paper has full responsibility of the
animal throughout the whole shipment process. Medical examinations, vaccinations, and any
other tests required by the state the animal is being shipped to should be completed. They also
have to purse great amount of measures to make sure that all animals in the facility are properly

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quarantined. Making sure the newly obtained animal is separated from the veterans there, until
they can be examined assures the safety of all the animals. This document helps show my views
that zookeepers are held to certain standards when new animals are entered into the parks.

Loomis, Michael R. "Management of Zoo Animals.": Zoo Animals: Merck Veterinary Manual. 1
Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
In the article, Management of Zoos, the author talks about the environmental needs that
each habitat is required to have. Their habitats should closely resemble the natural environment
from which they came from. It is important to maintain suitable temperatures for each animal.
Most healthy animals can tolerate a variation in temperatures, but provide an area with a good
amount of shade and easy access of water. Each animal must be in a protected and in a safe
environment. Certain animals may become territorial and begin to exclude the others in the
exhibit from resources like food and water. Long periods of time with such individuals like this
could lead to death in the weaker animal. This resource helps me provide a clear understanding
of how each habitat is matched for the certain type of species and how a zookeeper must keep the
balance of power in the exhibits.