Love Your Zoo Week - Keeper Spotlight: Georgie, Trainee Elephant Keeper

As part of Love Your Zoo Week, we’re continuing our keeper spotlight series at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm by meeting Georgie, Trainee Elephant Keeper. Still early in her zoo keeping career but already playing a key role within the elephant team, Georgie shares what life is like day to day working with the largest animals on site. From training sessions and daily care to building confidence in public engagement, she reflects on her journey so far, what she’s learning along the way, and why working with elephants has been such a rewarding start to her career in conservation.

How long have you worked in Zoo keeping?

I have been zoo keeping for about 6 months as a trainee elephant keeper. Before that I completed a placement year as a volunteer as part of my university course. 

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

I am a trainee Elephant keeper at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm. My days usually start with setting up the house and outdoor areas ready for the elephants, food prep and morning training sessions helping with health checks and general welfare. The rest of the day can include cleaning, general care, enrichment and monitoring behaviour. Each day can vary so every day is always a bit different and keeps things interesting. 

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

Pretty much! I grew up on a dairy farm, so animals have been a big part of my life. I’ve always loved wildlife, especially exotic animals, and although I looked into different career paths and university options, I realised zoo keeping was what I genuinely wanted to do. 

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

I studied Zoo Biology at Nottingham Trent University which also involved a placement year in the industry where I gained practical experience working with elephants and understating the zoo environment. This is my first official keeper role. 

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

The days can be unpredictable sometimes. You have a plan for the day and then the elephants decide otherwise, and the plan has to change quickly, which definitely keeps thing interesting.

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

I think teamwork and patience are really important, especially working so closely with both animals and other keepers. I’d also say being proactive as things can change quickly and there’s always something that needs doing. 

What has been one of your biggest challenges?

One of the biggest challenges has been building confidence in the public speaking side of the role. Even though wanting to help people learn and inspire others to care about wildlife is one of the reasons I wanted to go into zoo keeping, speaking in front of groups definitely pushed me out my comfort zone.

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

One of the most memorable moments has to be being part of the elephant moves we have done recently. We were able to not only move our dominant male to a new facility to be a mature bull but also welcomed two new younger bulls as well to continue their progression within a bachelor group.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being able to build trust and gain experience working with the elephants has definitely been one of the most rewarding parts for me. Knowing the work we do helps support their welfare. 

What conservation message do you hope visitors take away?

I hope visitors leave feeling more connected with the animals they have seen and understand why conservation is so important. I think seeing animals like elephants up close helps people to connect with wildlife in a way they normally wouldn’t. I hope that those experiences can inspire people to become more interested in conservation or even make small changes in their everyday life. 

What advice would you give someone wanting to become a Zookeeper?

Get as much experience as you can, whether that’s through volunteering, placements or working within other areas of the role. Staying open minded as zookeeping is very rewarding and but also demanding.

What does working here mean to you?

Working here means a lot to me because it allows me to start building a career doing something I genuinely care about. I am learning every day and feel lucky to work with such incredible animals and close team of people not only on my section but throughout the zoo. Being part of the elephant team at NAZF is something I am incredibly proud of, and working in one of the UK’s leading elephant facilities alongside experienced keepers make every day both rewarding and meaningful.