Wild Calling :
Junior Zookeeper Experience
For 8 to 13 year olds
11th & 12th October 2025
A unique, hands-on experience designed for young animal lovers to discover
what it’s really like to be a junior zookeeper!
What They will Experience
- Junior Keeper Training
- Safely handle gentle reptiles like tortoises, geckos, and pythons under expert supervision.
- Learn to read animal body language and identify signs of stress.
- Master safe handling postures and hygiene practices that protect both animals and humans.
- Enclosure Duty & Enrichment
- Get hands-on with enclosure cleaning: removing waste, replacing bedding, and freshening water bowls.
- Discover the needs of different animal homes like arboreal, terrestrial, aquatic and why it matters.
- Design simple enrichment items to stimulate animal minds and senses (like puzzle feeders or scent trails!).
- Animal Feeding Sessions
- Prepare food bowls by chopping veggies, sorting grains, and measuring portions as per species.
- Understand the difference between herbivore and carnivore diets and their feeding behaviours.
- Observe animals during mealtime and take notes on who eats what, how fast, and how they behave.
- Observation & Logging
- Maintain a logbook to record behaviours, feeding patterns, and enclosure conditions.
- Learn how keepers spot signs of illness or discomfort early.
- Get introduced to key zookeeping terms like basking, grooming, moulting, and more!
Priyanka Swamy
PhD Scholar, University of Mysore
Priyanka has diverse experience across ecological field and laboratory work. As part of the Phylogeography of king cobras project, she has travelled to king cobra habitats across the world and has experience with phylogenetic and population genetics tools to understand evolutionary and biogeography patterns and assist conservation prioritisation. She has also addressed questions related to diversity patterns, population structure and drivers of diversification of the Ranids of the Western Ghats and other herpetofauna.
An excellent environment educator, she has co-conducted a wide range of outreach programs for diverse audiences from school and college students to forest officials, researchers, and enthusiasts.
She is now pursuing her PhD project on Malabar pit vipers.
Shreyas S
Education Officer, Kalinga Foundation
He combines his Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) expertise with hands-on field research as a naturalist. He has played a crucial role in various research projects at the foundation’s field station, focusing on environmental conservation and sustainability.
With a background in Environmental Engineering, he applies his analytical skills to study ecosystems, monitor environmental changes, and develop conservation strategies.
He is also involved in training and educating others on environmental issues, making him a key contributor to the foundation’s mission.
ELIGIBILITY
Age: 8-13 years
Batch Size: 15
DETAILS
Dates: 11th – 12th Oct 2025 (Sat -Sun)
9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Venue: Birds of Paradise Foundation
94/3,Banjarapalya Village, Agara,(Kengeri) Hobli,
Bangalore, India, Karnataka
COST
Rs.8500/-
INCLUDES: Accommodation in container stay on a sharing basis. Wholesome Veg food ( meals, snacks, and beverages) on both days,
stationary, and program charges.
Pickup and drop (Optional): Additional INR 500/ kid for transportation between Chellagatta Metro station to Birds of Paradise
EXCLUDES: Personal expenses.