Chris Waldron, the carnivore curator at the Philadelphia Zoo, didn't always hold such a prestigious position in the zoo industry. Before he was rolling with the lions and tigers, herbivore defecation was about Chris' closest contact with the animals.
Chris Waldron, the carnivore curator at the Philadelphia Zoo, didn't always hold such a prestigious position in the zoo industry. Before he was rolling with the lions and tigers, herbivore defecation was about Chris' closest contact with the animals.
What animals do you work with as Zoo Carnivore Curator?
I work with the lions, tigers and bears, the otters, red pandas, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs.
Which carnivore is your favorite?
There's probably nothing cuter to me than a red panda .... If you've ever seen one of those, they're the most adorable things in the world.
Has anyone ever been attacked by one of your carnivores?
Umm ... the carnivores certainly can be dangerous, but another part of what I do is to implement safety procedures and make sure the carnivores, visitors and zoo keepers are all safe. I can honestly say that we've never had -- knock on wood -- any serious incidents.
What first attracted you to this career?
You're certainly never going to be rich as a zookeeper or curator. It truly is a love of the job and a love of what you do. The Philadelphia Zoo has 150,000 visitors every year, so you're talking about a huge number of people and a huge amount of contact that we have. That's very rewarding.
Are there many common misconceptions about carnivores? Do you often have to set the record straight?
Absolutely. A lot of people ask me if they can pet the animals, or go in with them. I think people are so compelled by circus-type things they see on TV.
So you don't have a whole lot of tactile contact with the carnivores?
I mean, we certainly don't go in with our tigers or lions. That doesn't mean we don't work with them -- we do all sorts of training and behavioral enrichment. There's just a limit to the amount of immediate contact we can realistically have.
Has anything ever gone horribly awry at the zoo?
I've been at the zoo for nine years, and so far there haven't been any big incidents. We had a small mammal get out once, but it didn't go very far -- it just went inside a small area.
What about the animal rights protesters? Do those guys give you a lot of trouble?
I'm not into the Guest Services aspect of the zoo. I know there are people who come and protest. I think there was a group here yesterday, actually -- I don't know what they were doing, but we have people on staff who will typically handle those kinds of situations.
So a group of ravenous lions and bears was never accidentally released onto the protesters?
[Laughs] No -- there are people who occasionally protest in front of the zoo for some cause or another, but it's never caused any huge problems as far as I'm aware.
What is most rewarding about working with the carnivores?
The animals give unconditional appreciation. I don't want to say love, but there is a genuine affection. I don't work with the reptiles or the birds, but I'm sure some of those animals possess lower levels of intelligence and can't really distinguish between individual keepers. Bears, primates and some of the cats often choose a favorite person.
Which carnivores are the most popular?
I would probably say the lions and tigers are the most popular, just because they're attractive and they can be vocal.
Do they roar at people?
They occasionally will roar, but that's unrelated to the people. Also, even when a cat is 400 pounds, you can really see a lot of character in it that will remind you of your own cat. I think people identify with that.
Are there any really bizarre animals that visitors just scorn or deem inferior to the other carnivores in the zoo?
Yeah, there are species that are not what we would consider charismatic from a visitor point of view. It's a difficult balance. We need to have charismatic animals in order to survive as a zoo, so people will want to pay money to come see them. On the other hand, we do a lot of work to provide financial support to endangered animals around the world.
What are some examples of endangered carnivores that people typically find less interesting?
Giant river otters, for example -- we have two of those. People say: so what, there are otters all over North America -- what's the difference? There are actually only four giant river otters in all of North America, and we try to tell people that.
What message would you like to convey to aspiring carnivore curators who might be reading this?
Between my junior and senior years of college, I got a summer job here basically mopping the floors.
So that's where it all started?
Exactly. I mopped floors, and I cleaned. I didn't get to work with animals at all, but I knew I was in the right place. After I graduated, I went back for more part-time work and basically made my way through. I moved up to grounds work, then I worked with the ponies in the children's zoo, then I became a zookeeper, then supervisor and then a curator.
Sounds like an upward climb.
I think you have to be willing to do whatever it takes -- in any career -- to get where you want to go. A lot of people come in and expect to be a zookeeper right away. I visited a zoo in Florida that does a lot of great conservation work, and I met with the director there. He was telling me that a lot of people would come in and ask him, 'How can I be a supervisor, how can I work with you?' He said that he would usually hand them a broom and say, 'Start sweeping, and we'll take it from there.' I think people need to be able to take their blows before they get to where they want to be.
