#zooregistrarsrock

I am a zoo registrar. Cue the blank looks and simple nods of appreciation while secretly they think “I have no idea what that means”. Most people don’t know what that is, I didn’t. I remember vividly the day I learned what it was and decided that I was going to be that person, come hell or high water. It was my first semester in community college. I had enrolled in the Zoo keeping Technology program because I didn’t want to work in the domestic pets’ veterinary field anymore but I didn’t exactly want to be a zookeeper either. I thought maybe I could get into ambassador animals or education, maybe something in the administrative offices. I was sitting in my Intro to Zoo Careers class and our instructor introduced Randy Barker, registrar of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Here was a bear of a man with a larger than life personality. I thought to myself, what the heck is a registrar and why hadn’t I heard of it? My head was full of gobs and gobs of animal/zoo related facts and trivia. He introduced himself and acknowledged that we probably had no idea what he does. He was funny and informative. He started off talking about animal records and permits then spent a lot of time talking about shipping and all the paperwork involved with it. You could tell he really enjoyed figuring out all the needed paperwork for shipping (Personally I really enjoy auditing records and training keepers about the importance of records, but every registrar has their niche). He talked about historical paperwork, loans between zoos and how you would have to figure out what animal belonged to what zoo when babies were born. He talked about how you had to be Sherlock Holmes when dealing with historical records because there was usually very little information. He described how every day was always just a little bit different and how computers were just beginning to play a role in what he did and become more and more important. As he continued talking, it was like a light bulb went off in my head and I thought to myself this is what I want to do. I spent the rest of my two years in the program doing internships with Randy and also doing an internship at the zoo hospital learning the medical computer program used for animal records.

Still asking yourself what exactly is a zoo registrar? Well here is a summary from the Zoological Registrar Association (ZRA) website (www.zooregistrars.org):

• ·       Registrars provide oversight for the animal record keeping function, records management, animal shipping, wildlife permit procurement, and related reporting requirements and legal compliance.

Zoo registrars often were the administrative assistants/secretaries for the animal departments.  In the late eighties, early nineties the ZRA was founded and began working on professional recognition and development of the position. It has been a very long road as zoos have evolved and become more and more professional and focused on not only improving the care and standards of the animals they have but also in becoming more involved in conservation and education of the plight of our wildlife. It hasn’t been until more recently that zoos have recognized the important role of the registrar. We are the stewards of the records, current and historical. As zoos have evolved to become more professional so has the position of registrar. It is an exciting time to be in this profession as we become more instrumental in the smooth operation of our animal management teams. We manage the database containing all the animal records. We are knowledgeable in the permitting processes, transactions, and shipping procedures.

There are so many considerations for animals at zoos. First and foremost is the health and welfare of the animal and to preserve the species survival. But not many people realize how much animals can and do move between different accredited zoos. When considering those moves the registrar is a vital part of that conversation due to the permits that may or may not be needed as well as shipping considerations. Did you know that there are certain states that require zoos to have permits before entering the state with an animal in ground transport? Not to mention the fact that there are the laws associated with the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that might need to be considered. Many people and institutions also don't realize the significance of the records in the animal care and welfare. Records are significant when it comes to the care and welfare. They can track health, behavior, medical and so much more. 

I have a passion and excitement for this career that I never thought would be possible. I never dreamed I could love something so much and get paid to do it but I am one of the few lucky ones to have found my dream job. There have been difficulties. I won’t lie; I have had my share of hills and valleys. I have had mountains to climb but the view from the top is splendid. Every step you take towards a goal is always a step in the right direction, no matter if you think it isn’t happening fast enough or going exactly the way you anticipated it. This has been the first step in my journey but I know I am not done yet. I will continue moving forward and be the best registrar I can be. I will continue to share my love and passion for the field, help educate people on who we are and what we do. 

I have a zoo registrar twitter feed where I like to post fun facts about the job, share meaningful information regarding the zoo world, etc. Please check me out at @RegistrarZoo on Twitter!!