Ibu's keepers appeared in this El Paso Times article as part of National Zoo Keeper Week.
Through positive reinforcement conditioning session, Asia Area Supervisor Rachel Alvarez and Collections Supervisor Griselda Martinez were able to visualize Ibu and Khaleesi after parturition. While Rachel gave verbal cues to Ibu to come to the keepers, Griselda was able to take a closer look at Khaleesi. When she and noticed the umbilicus and placenta were still attached and the chord was partially wrapped around the baby's neck, Griselda decided to offer help to Ibu.
Griselda asked Ibu to bring the baby closer to the keeper. Rachel gave her the cues to bring both her and her newborn closer so Griselda could touch the chord.
Ibu complied with all the verbal cues from her mommy training. While Rachel was rewarding Ibu as part of her positive training reinforcement for complying and staying steady, Griselda was able to get the chord and placenta by cutting the chord and retrieving it through the mesh.
The sweet story of their trust-based relationship and the hard work keepers do is retold here.
El Paso Zoo to highlight its zookeepers' work
By David Hernandez
dahernandez@elpasotimes.com @D4VIDHernandez on Twitter
When the El Paso Zoo welcomed a baby girl Sumatran orangutan in April, supervisor Rachel Alvarez was one of two experienced orangutan zookeepers who helped cut the umbilical chord.
Zookeepers had prepared two years for a healthy pregnancy and birth, from training Ibu to urinate in a cup for a pregnancy testing to teaching the first-time mother to handle a stuffed baby animal. When Alvarez went in to work on the day baby Khaleesi was born, Ibu had just given birth.
All that was left to do was for Ibu to let the zookeepers cut the umbilical cord — and she did. Collections supervisor Griselda Martinez cut the chord while Alvarez helped attend to Ibu. Both keepers had known Ibu for many years.
"You could tell in her face she was bewildered, but she came to us trusting and knowing we weren't going to do anything that was bad or hurt her," said Alvarez, who has worked at the zoo in the Asia area for 15 years. "That trust that we saw in her eyes was very important to us. With all of the work that we put into it, that was such a rewarding moment when she trusted us to cut it off."
In recognition of the work zookeepers do, the El Paso Zoo for the first time will join the American Association of Zoo Keepers to celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week beginning today. The zoo will primarily engage on social media to honor and feature its zookeepers.
"This is something that really allows us as an organization to tell our community what our zookeepers do, and really to value our staff, to value what they do and why it's so important," said Karla Martinez El Paso Zoo Marking and Communications Coordinator.
Karla Martinez and zookeepers say there are many misconceptions about their job, particularly that, as Alvarez said, they just "sit around and play with cute animals."
Zookeepers complete a variety of tasks throughout the day, such as feeding animals, training them, providing medical treatment and cleaning exhibits. El Paso's 39 zookeepers are cross-trained to take care of different types of species, Alvarez said.
While it is not a requirement at the El Paso Zoo, many of the zookeepers have a degree in fields including biology, ecology and zoology.
An important part of a zookeeper's work is creating enrichment activities to bring out animals' natural behaviors.
"As zookeepers, we have to learn our animals," zookeeper Alisa Light said. "What are their natural behaviors? What would they do in the wild? And then how can we simulate that in the care of humans? Because we try to simulate it as closely as we can. A lot of it is research on our own time ... because you run out of time at the zoo."
Light recently built a mirror for a gray crowned crane, who engaged with it by seeing its reflection, tilting its head, and peeking around and behind the mirror.
"You do it to make the animals' life better," Light said.
While Khaleesi's birth was a rewarding experience, Alvarez had to let go of two animals she cared for this year. On two separate occasions, Alvarez, along with staff, decided to euthanize macaques who had health problems, including one that was her favorite.
"Right now, I still go in (her exhibit) and expect to see her, so it's very hard to do those things," Alvarez said. "But if we really love them, we do what's best for them."
Karla Martinez said she admires the work the zookeepers do and their professionalism.
"They work with these animals, and no matter how dangerous these animals are, they do what they do because they love these animals and they want to make sure they're OK," she said.
This spring the zoo began an initiative called "Meet the Keeper" to allow visitors to engage and learn from zookeepers. The program runs through August.
"Our mission is to make sure that people connect with these animals, and I think that (zookeepers) are part of allowing people to make that connection," Karla Martinez said.
Light said interacting with visitors is an opportunity for zookeepers, who constantly engage in conservation efforts, to educate them about different species.
"Opportunities to talk to a guest are always the times to connect with the guest or connect the guest with that animal," she said. "Education is always an opportunity we never let pass."
Khaleesi's birth, for example, was important for the Zoo because it contributed to conservation efforts of her endangered species.
The American Association of Zoo Keepers' El Paso Del Norte chapter, which is affiliated with El Paso's zoo, will hold a wine tasting event, dubbed Winos for Rhinos, on Friday, Aug. 14 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at New Mexico's Sunland Park Winery, 1769 Victory Lane, to raise money for conservation efforts to save the five endangered rhino species as part of the national organization's annual fundraising efforts. Members of the chapter are volunteers, most from El Paso's Zoo, such as Light, who is the chapter's president.
"Our zookeepers are not only making a difference locally ... they're making a difference regionally, nationally, globally with the work they do," Karla Martinez said. "We don't even have a rhino, but they're raising money for rhinos in the wild. With the orangutan that was born here, that made a huge difference to the conservation of orangutans in general. Our zookeepers are making an impact worldwide."
Alvarez, 45, said moments when an animal learns a new command, or show trust in her, like Ibu did, are what keep her working.
"To love and care for animals — that's what keeps me here," she said. "It's hard at times. Sometimes you get sore, you get tired, you get frustrated, but the love of the animals, what I do with the animals and for the animals is why I'm still a zookeeper."
More information on National Zoo Keeper Week:https://www.aazk.org/committee/national-zoo-keeper-week/
More information on Winos for Rhinos: mkt.com/el-paso-del-norte-aazk
Through positive reinforcement conditioning session, Asia Area Supervisor Rachel Alvarez and Collections Supervisor Griselda Martinez were able to visualize Ibu and Khaleesi after parturition. While Rachel gave verbal cues to Ibu to come to the keepers, Griselda was able to take a closer look at Khaleesi. When she and noticed the umbilicus and placenta were still attached and the chord was partially wrapped around the baby's neck, Griselda decided to offer help to Ibu.
Griselda asked Ibu to bring the baby closer to the keeper. Rachel gave her the cues to bring both her and her newborn closer so Griselda could touch the chord.
Ibu complied with all the verbal cues from her mommy training. While Rachel was rewarding Ibu as part of her positive training reinforcement for complying and staying steady, Griselda was able to get the chord and placenta by cutting the chord and retrieving it through the mesh.
The sweet story of their trust-based relationship and the hard work keepers do is retold here.
El Paso Zoo to highlight its zookeepers' work
By David Hernandez
dahernandez@elpasotimes.com @D4VIDHernandez on Twitter
When the El Paso Zoo welcomed a baby girl Sumatran orangutan in April, supervisor Rachel Alvarez was one of two experienced orangutan zookeepers who helped cut the umbilical chord.
Zookeepers had prepared two years for a healthy pregnancy and birth, from training Ibu to urinate in a cup for a pregnancy testing to teaching the first-time mother to handle a stuffed baby animal. When Alvarez went in to work on the day baby Khaleesi was born, Ibu had just given birth.
All that was left to do was for Ibu to let the zookeepers cut the umbilical cord — and she did. Collections supervisor Griselda Martinez cut the chord while Alvarez helped attend to Ibu. Both keepers had known Ibu for many years.
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PHOTO BY VICTOR CALZADA-EL PASO TIMES
El Paso Zoo zookeeper Rachel Alvarez, an Asia-area supervisor, checked on a snake at the El Paso Zoo Friday.
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In recognition of the work zookeepers do, the El Paso Zoo for the first time will join the American Association of Zoo Keepers to celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week beginning today. The zoo will primarily engage on social media to honor and feature its zookeepers.
"This is something that really allows us as an organization to tell our community what our zookeepers do, and really to value our staff, to value what they do and why it's so important," said Karla Martinez El Paso Zoo Marking and Communications Coordinator.
Karla Martinez and zookeepers say there are many misconceptions about their job, particularly that, as Alvarez said, they just "sit around and play with cute animals."
Zookeepers complete a variety of tasks throughout the day, such as feeding animals, training them, providing medical treatment and cleaning exhibits. El Paso's 39 zookeepers are cross-trained to take care of different types of species, Alvarez said.
While it is not a requirement at the El Paso Zoo, many of the zookeepers have a degree in fields including biology, ecology and zoology.
An important part of a zookeeper's work is creating enrichment activities to bring out animals' natural behaviors.
"As zookeepers, we have to learn our animals," zookeeper Alisa Light said. "What are their natural behaviors? What would they do in the wild? And then how can we simulate that in the care of humans? Because we try to simulate it as closely as we can. A lot of it is research on our own time ... because you run out of time at the zoo."
Light recently built a mirror for a gray crowned crane, who engaged with it by seeing its reflection, tilting its head, and peeking around and behind the mirror.
"You do it to make the animals' life better," Light said.
While Khaleesi's birth was a rewarding experience, Alvarez had to let go of two animals she cared for this year. On two separate occasions, Alvarez, along with staff, decided to euthanize macaques who had health problems, including one that was her favorite.
"Right now, I still go in (her exhibit) and expect to see her, so it's very hard to do those things," Alvarez said. "But if we really love them, we do what's best for them."
Karla Martinez said she admires the work the zookeepers do and their professionalism.
"They work with these animals, and no matter how dangerous these animals are, they do what they do because they love these animals and they want to make sure they're OK," she said.
This spring the zoo began an initiative called "Meet the Keeper" to allow visitors to engage and learn from zookeepers. The program runs through August.
"Our mission is to make sure that people connect with these animals, and I think that (zookeepers) are part of allowing people to make that connection," Karla Martinez said.
Light said interacting with visitors is an opportunity for zookeepers, who constantly engage in conservation efforts, to educate them about different species.
"Opportunities to talk to a guest are always the times to connect with the guest or connect the guest with that animal," she said. "Education is always an opportunity we never let pass."
Khaleesi's birth, for example, was important for the Zoo because it contributed to conservation efforts of her endangered species.
The American Association of Zoo Keepers' El Paso Del Norte chapter, which is affiliated with El Paso's zoo, will hold a wine tasting event, dubbed Winos for Rhinos, on Friday, Aug. 14 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at New Mexico's Sunland Park Winery, 1769 Victory Lane, to raise money for conservation efforts to save the five endangered rhino species as part of the national organization's annual fundraising efforts. Members of the chapter are volunteers, most from El Paso's Zoo, such as Light, who is the chapter's president.
"Our zookeepers are not only making a difference locally ... they're making a difference regionally, nationally, globally with the work they do," Karla Martinez said. "We don't even have a rhino, but they're raising money for rhinos in the wild. With the orangutan that was born here, that made a huge difference to the conservation of orangutans in general. Our zookeepers are making an impact worldwide."
Alvarez, 45, said moments when an animal learns a new command, or show trust in her, like Ibu did, are what keep her working.
"To love and care for animals — that's what keeps me here," she said. "It's hard at times. Sometimes you get sore, you get tired, you get frustrated, but the love of the animals, what I do with the animals and for the animals is why I'm still a zookeeper."
More information on National Zoo Keeper Week:https://www.aazk.org/committee/national-zoo-keeper-week/
More information on Winos for Rhinos: mkt.com/el-paso-del-norte-aazk
David Hernandez may be reached at 546-6154.
