Love Your Zoo Week - Keeper Spotlight: Cloud, Birds and Reptiles Keeper

As part of Love Your Zoo Week, we’re continuing our keeper spotlight series at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm by meeting Cloud, Birds and Reptiles Keeper. With a passion for both feathers and scales, Cloud plays a key role in the daily care of the section’s animals and in delivering engaging bird of prey flying displays. In this blog, Cloud shares how a lifelong fascination with birds shaped her career, what goes into preparing for daily flights, and why public engagement and conservation messaging are such an important part of the role.

How long have you worked in Zoo keeping?

I have worked at Noah's Ark Zoo for just over two years now.

What is your role here at Noah's Ark and what does a typical day look like?

I am a keeper on the Birds and Reptiles team, I look after almost everything with feathers or scales on them. A typical day involves, checking all the animals (and saying hello to them), cleaning the enclosures, giving out their food and then preparing everything for the next day. I also help the team get ready for our daily flying displays with our Birds of Prey. I need to prepare the food, weigh and check all of our birds before flying and put them into their travel boxes. As we fly each bird, I give a running commentary and always try to bring out my best/most impressive facts!

Did you always know you wanted to work with animals, and what first inspired that interest?

I always wanted to work with animals when I was younger. I told my teacher in school I wanted to be a 'Bird Handler' and no one really knew what that meant! I of course knew what 'Bird Handler meant because I visited countless Bird of Prey centres with my mum and always saw falconers with birds on their glove. I was fixated from a young age.

What steps did you take to become a Zoo keeper (study, volunteering, first roles)?

All of my experience was gained through volunteering; I found it very useful to gain all of the practical skills I needed first. I volunteered at a local Bird of Prey centre for 7 years, which is quite a long time...It helped me gain, not only skills, but friends, connections and confidence in myself. I wouldn't be where I am today without volunteering.

Was there anything that surprised you when you started working in the field?

Everyday is completely different, no two days are the same. Everything changes all of the time. Sometimes it's the animals, most of the time it's the weather. You have to be very good at working in the boiling heat and freezing cold rain. It always keeps you on your toes and having to think outside the box is a daily occurrence.

What skills do you think are most important for zoo keeping?

All the usual 'corporate skills' are useful. In my opinion the most important skill is public speaking, it is the biggest and most exciting part of my day. People often forget it is part of zoo keeping. It is super important to be able to educate and answer questions for visitors about your animals. It's always the weird questions that make me laugh and keep me researching things when I go home.

What has been your proudest or most memorable moment so far?

By far my proudest moment is flying 'Leah' our Lanner Falcon in displays. Flying a falcon to a swung lure is incredibly tricky and takes years to master fully. I have spent a very long time, both in and out of work, trying to teach myself and get better at it. I don't think anyone in the audience actually knows how hard it is when I'm flying a falcon, but I always smile when they say I made it look easy. Having a falcon fly to you at 50mph is certainly memorable.

What conservation message do you hope visitors take away?

I always try to talk about conservation as much as possible during my day. Wildlife is always around us and there is lots that people can do to help. I always hope people will leave thinking about the spaces around them, whether it be a garden, balcony or a small patch of green nearby, and how they can encourage and support local wildlife using these areas. Sometimes you have to get creative but you should see the payoff very quickly. Little changes like planting wildflowers, making a pond, stopping garden pesticides, having a bird bath, it all makes a difference.

What advice would you give someone wanting to become a Zoo keeper?

Volunteering is great! Gain confidence at talking to people, everyone loves a smiley keeper who is excited to talk to you about their animals. Always ask questions when learning and remember that this career will surround your whole life. None of us go home at the end of the day and don't think about animals.