During the third week of July, AAZK chapters and zoos nationwide celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week.  This annual event started in 2007 as a way to recognize the work that zoo keepers do as animal educators and ambassadors. During this week, Rocky Mountain AAZK hosts many activities to show our appreciation to animal staff. In the past we have done Zoo Keeper Olympics, potlucks, and trivia! To help educate zoo guests about the roles of zookeepers, we also team with our local animal care facilities to share the love for our zookeepers on social media and on grounds.

This year, from July 16-22, we are Diving into Diversity! We want to celebrate not only the many species of animals in zoos and aquaria, but also the diversity of the keepers and staff that take care of the animals every day. Keep an eye out on our social media accounts for resources and activities that emphasize this culture of coexistence amongst both the animals we care for but also our teams and facilities.

We want to recognize all of the amazing animal care professionals out there!!! Keepers give their heart and soul to the animals in their care and often wear many hats - keeper, caretaker, specialist, conservationist, educator and trainer to name a few. They show up rain or shine, hail or snow, to spend their days providing the best care possible. Keepers have to be flexible, dedicated, creative and passionate. This year for National Zoo Keeper Week, AAZK wants to highlight the diversity we find not only in our collection animals, but also in the staff that takes care of them! Keepers come from many walks of life, cultures and backgrounds, all of which come together to create a unified team centered around providing the best welfare to their animals.

Learn more about this National Event on the National AAZK website!