#over here! over there! zookeeper experience!

[kaijutegu]

How Do You Move A Crocodilian?

In light of a recent post, you may be wondering: just how CAN zoos move crocodilians without hitting them in the face with a shovel? I linked some good examples in the post above, but here's some more. Sometimes with small crocodilians if you want to move them, you can just... pick them up. Gently and carefully, but you can lift some smaller species without causing them much distress. Of course, there's a lot of trust that needs to be built first, but it can be done! Here's Cincinnati moving their Chinese alligators between habitats.

Great handling here. Two handlers on the gator at all times, pelvic and pectoral girdles supported, easy release into the water. This is a small species so this is safe, and look how relaxed and easy their body language is!

This is another safe way to move a crocodilian- leading them with a target! Obviously you can't pick up a fully grown American alligator very easily, but here's Brevard Zoo showing you how responsive their big boys are to this kind of training.

Zoos all over the world use different training techniques to work on their crocs. Here's a nice video from St. Augustine Alligator Farm that shows how they work their gharials to participate in their own healthcare:

Training is really important for human and animal safety. For the animals, it helps them participate in their own healthcare and know what to expect. It also helps mitigate social tensions, lets you see that every animal is getting the right amount of food, lets you easily work with them in and out of the water (you need to see them on land for an accurate body condition assessment), and provides mental and social stimulation for them.

But also: if your animals trust you and have some training, it protects both you and them in an emergency. When you work with large carnivores like crocodilians, you need to be able to predict the unpredictable, and be prepared for things to go wrong. Part of that preparation is setting the animals up for success. An animal that's scared of you isn't going to cooperate with medical care. It will be difficult to move in case of an emergency, and it will be harder to maintain control during a worst-case scenario.

If you have to evacuate your facility or something, and you need your croc to go into a carrier box, if it is trained to do that, it's not going to add yet another new, terrifying experience to a pile of new and terrifying experiences. Training is how zookeepers protect themselves and the animals, and when you compare this type of thing to more aversive techniques, it should be fairly easy to see why using the right training techniques is important!

[sekaitransparents]

close contact! animal police 24 hours! gacha: quick and smooth ~ minori hanasato

[prskcostumes]

Fuzzy Police

Fuzzy Police is a costume that can be obtained by pulling in any Standard Gacha past the Close Contact! 24-Hour Animal Police! Gacha! The costume comes with an Exclusive Accessory for Shiho and a Standard Accessory!

Alt 1

Alt 2

Alt 3

[lvyseonu]

˖ 　　𝅄✧ㅤ　　⁺　　 (( _ _ ♡)) 🍊'

˖ 　　𝅄✧ㅤ　　⁺　　 (( _ _ ♡)) 🗺'

✿ ⃘🐣 ✿ (♡'ᗜ') ✿ ⃘🌈

[kotaromita]

Closed Starter for @aki-shinonome-official

Kotaro runs up to Akito right outside the front entrance to Odaiba Animal Land. It'd been a minute since the two of them had the chance to be together one-on-one and even longer since they did something as date-esque as this. It was still way too hot outside for him to ask Akito to go somewhere outside unless it was somewhere they could swim and be at nighttime. An indoor zoo was perfect for August and he was excited to see Akito's reactions to all the different animals.

"Akitooo!" Kotaro jeers, barely slowing his pace before hugging Akito. "Looks like you beat me here."

[animeweeb115]

“Nice to meet you, Hashibiro.”

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

The Woodland Park Zoo is my home zoo, and the possibility of a strike has been brewing for a while. The staff at the zoo have been working without a union contract for over 200 days because the zoo is unwilling to pay them a living wage.

Zookeepers around the country are consistently underpaid, and Seattle is an incredibly expensive place to live. The zoo is losing animal care staff rapidly - I've been told they'd lost five keepers and a vet tech to another nearby AZA zoo this year alone - because they can't afford to live here. And I've been told that because there's no contract, the zoo is on a hiring freeze, which means they're perpetually understaffed.

Photo credit: Yulia Issa

There was an informational picket outside of a big event last month, which got a ton of community support. Then the only content the zoo put out for National Zookeepers Week was a single post about how much gratitude the staff are owed, which... hmmmm, came off a little tone-deaf in the current moment.

Now it looks like staff might end up striking to make their point, after almost a year of negotiations.

"Workers at Woodland Park Zoo, who are members of the Joint Crafts Council (JCC) Coalition of Unions, have been making plans to protect the animals if they go on strike. If the group of 200 workers is unable to reach an agreement with their employer over a new contract, they say they will run a skeleton crew that would provide necessary care to the animals but require the Zoo to close its doors to the general public. “We are making contingency plans to ensure the continued well-being of the animals if we are forced to strike,” said Janel Kempf, a learning coordinator who has been with the Zoo for 25 years and is a Shop Steward with Teamsters 117. “A strike is an absolute last resort and one that none of us takes lightly, but the Zoo keeps pushing us in that direction. If the Zoo doesn’t change course soon, we will have no other choice than to withhold our labor.” Negotiations between the Coalition of Unions and the Zoo have been ongoing for the last ten months with workers growing increasingly frustrated at what they say is the Zoo’s failure to value and retain an experienced workforce. “We are hemorrhaging critical animal care experience which directly affects the standard of care we can provide for our animals,” said Allison Cloud, an animal keeper and member of Teamsters 117. “The Zoo is forcing us to choose between our livelihoods and our animals, a heartbreaking decision no zookeeper ever wants to make.” Workers say low wages, the skyrocketing cost of healthcare, low morale, and high turnover have put the Zoo’s AZA accreditation at risk. Loss of accreditation could cripple the Zoo’s resources and lead to the transfer of animals to other accredited facilities. "Woodland Park Zoo cannot maintain AZA accreditation without us,” said Joe Gallenbach, an Exhibit Technician with IATSE Local 15. “The loss of AZA accreditation would demonstrate catastrophic mismanagement on the part of the Woodland Park Zoological Society.” The Coalition of Unions and the Zoo have one more bargaining session on the calendar: Friday, August 9. If the Zoo does not make an acceptable proposal next Friday, workers say they will take their case for fair wages and benefits to the public through direct, concerted action."

Now, when you bring the risk of AZA accreditation loss into the conversation, things get interesting. I've written before about how some zoos are legally or contractually obligated to maintain AZA accreditation and couldn't choose to leave. Woodland Park Zoo is one of those facilities: the agreement with the city that allows the Woodland Park Zoological Society requires them to be AZA accredited. If they lose it, they default on the agreement.

So, would there actually be a chance the facility could lose accreditation if the staff struck? I couldn't find any recent information about staff at other AZA zoos striking and how it related to their accreditation cycle, but I did find this, in an AZA press release about how the Aquarium of the Bay lost accreditation a few months ago.

"Silver Spring, Md. (May 24, 2024) –  The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Accreditation Commission unanimously voted to rescind the accreditation of the Aquarium of the Bay.  The independent Commission notified the institution on May 13, 2024, following its conclusion that the aquarium was not meeting accreditation standards in a number of key areas, including financial stability, staffing capabilities, and employee morale and turnover. Aquarium of the Bay has until June 13 to appeal the Commission’s decision."

So it looks like staffing issues and employee morale can definitely be things taken into consideration. Let's look at the AZA standards for more info. I found a couple standards that appear to be relevant:

7.3 "There must be an adequate number of trained paid and unpaid staff to care for the animals and to manage the institution’s diverse programs." Justification: "Although there is no set formula for prescribing the size of the staff (paid and unpaid), some of the criteria that may be used to define what is considered “adequate” include the number and type of species within the institution, the general condition of the animals and exhibits, and past staffing practices."

7.4 "Compensation for paid staff should be competitive with other similar positions in the local/regional/national market, as appropriate." Justification: "Institutions must be able to recruit and retain qualified paid staff. Competitive compensation is a key component in recruitment and retention of paid staff. Some positions can be successfully recruited for locally, while others are competitive on a more regional or national basis (e.g., animal care specialists)."

Both of those look like they could quite reasonably be an issue for WPZ at this point. They're losing paid staff due to low wages and operating understaffed due to the hiring freeze. Staff obviously aren't getting appropriate compensation if they're looking for jobs at nearby facilities that pay better.

Now, would the zoo actually lose accreditation if a strike came to pass? Honestly, I doubt it, because WPZ is too big a feather in AZA's cap for them to penalize them that harshly. Columbus - an equally prominent institution - got kicked because of a major public animal use scandal, but it was pretty clearly political because of how quickly they were re-accredited. I'd expect AZA might give WPZ a slap on the wrist, some stern public comment, maybe some minor penalties, but I'd be very surprised if they were willing to kick WPZ to the curb over something "just" as minor as a staffing problem.

Regardless, zoo staff deserve to be paid a living wage. I'll be really sad if the zoo is closed to a strike once the snow leopard cubs get old enough to debut - but I'd still rather the staff be paid a living wage than be able to see the fluffballs immediately. I want the people working at the zoos I visit to not be living in poverty. Zoo staff pub in an incredible amount of effort to care for animal collections and to facilitate the guest experience, and they should be able to do that without multiple roommates or three jobs. I know that the practical reality is that not all facilities can afford to pay their staff as highly as is ideal, but I'd expect a big zoo with reliable city funding to be able to do better. Supporting the zookeepers (and other zoo staff) is supporting the zoo.

I'll be keeping an eye on this going forward, both from a personal perspective (I'm a member, and I have a vested interest in what the organization I give money to does) and a professional interest in industry politics (what does AZA choose to do). I'll update if there's anything interesting on either end.

[siempre-bucky]

Could I request number 11 from list 1 with Hangman, please? 💙

Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Reader

Summary: a young Jake literally falls for the girl of his dreams showing her around his family's ranch.

eleven: falling head over heels in love

wc: 1.1k

a/n: I hope you like it!!

Join my blurb weekend!

Fanboy was the first to notice the dried flowers in delicate glass frames that were hung neatly on the wall. Phoenix came up next, spiked lemonade in her hand, and recognized the pink rose from your wedding bouquet. Payback slid another drink into Mickey’s hand and studied frames in your new home. “Yo, Jake,” He called out, twisting to look back at him, “What’s this one?” He pointed to a tried sprig of lavender with his beer bottle. 

Your friend's eyes turned to your husband and you smiled at the pink blush dusting his tan cheeks. “Well,” he sighed, dawning a signature Seresin smirk, “that’s from the day we met.”  

Years ago, before the medals, muscles, and jet fuel, Jake was a scrawny little thing helping on his family’s ranch. His father sat at the lace covered kitchen table, reading glasses low on his nose while he sifted through documents. His mother, as if she had a mud radar, turned around as soon as the door closed behind Jake. “Jacob!” She scolded, pointing her wooden spoon at his boots. “You’re trackin’ mud into my house.” 

He looked down and behind, perfect mud footprints on the light brown wood. “Sorry ma,” he apologized, stepping back onto the rug his mom placed just for that purpose and toeing out of his boots. 

“Jake,” his dad chimed in, rubbing his face and watching his son hurry to the fridge to stick his head inside the cold. “That botanist lady’s comin’ round to survey the plants that came up after last month's storm. I want you to join me, it’d be a good experience.” 

Jake grabbed one of the mason jars of lemonade his sister prepared and unscrewed the lid. He groaned quietly at the idea of going back into the Austin sun, he’d been out here all morning and now he was expected to help entertain some plant lady? He had a date with a cold shower and a bar of soap. As he drank, his eyes fell on his father who looked at him stoically. He’d rather not argue. 

“Yeah, alright,” he panted, looking at the now empty jar. 

The two Seresin men walked underneath the large trees and up to the stables, Jake’s frown attached to his lips the entire walk. There stood a taller woman, her long dark hair braided nicely down her back. She looks like a zookeeper in that get up, Jake thought to himself as he tucked his hands in his jeans pockets. He stood by one of the posts holding up the stable awning as his father and the woman shook hands, occupied by the ants marching past him.

They talked for about two minutes before the shaggy blonde grew bored, resulting in him leaning against the old wood. “Mr. Seresin,” the lady beamed, checking behind her. “This is my niece, she’s helping me for the summer. She’s got a true eye for flowers.” 

Jake looked back up, the lilac color of your sundress caught his attention. Oh shit. The way you smiled at his father, the sweet tone of your voice complimenting the ranch, the way you looked in the sun. His balance shifted, his shoulder losing its grip on the post and sending him straight to the ground. “That’s my son Jake,” his father sighed. You bit back a chuckle, holding your book of flowers over your lap. 

Jake quickly picked himself up and dusted himself off, trying to hide the developing blush on his cheeks. “Hi,” he recovered charmingly.

“Mind showin’ our guest those flowers growin’ by the house?” John Seresin knew the look of love when he saw it. Young love made the older man smile. He saw the shy glimmer in your eye as well as his. 

Jake sucked in his lips, but nodded. You followed him close by, not failing to notice how tall he was. “I’m Y/N,” you said shyly. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” he returned, unconfident in his tone. 

“The pleasure’s all mine.” 

His head whipped over to you, his pretty green eyes widened a little at the sudden boldness. Keep it cool, keep it cool. He would be if he wasn’t tripping over his feet, all the rocks were against him. “Shit,” he coughed after almost falling. 

“Are your boots too big or somethin’?” you joked, approaching the house. 

The crimson on his cheeks went a shade darker. He couldn’t believe this! Tripping over some girl like he was a newborn fawn. “You’re funny,” he grimaced. 

“I try,” you giggled. 

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence before reaching the house. Jake was the first to speak, “I think those are the flowers my dad was talking about,” he motioned toward the purple flowers lining the fence. You grinned at the pretty sight and carefully dropped to your knees to inspect them. Jkke sat beside you, careful not to crush the flowers, and leaned back against the fence. 

“Lavandula augustifolia,” you mumbled to yourself, your fingers gently touching the flowers.

 Jake raised an eyebrow, “What?” 

You chuckled and shook your head, “English lavender,” you simplified, “it typically grows in England but Texas can get it too. It’s pretty.” 

Like you, Jake smiled to himself and watched as you studied them and the ground it grew in. Jake carefully plucked one of the sprigs and held it up to you, “For you,” he offered with a shy smile, “it matches your dress.” 

You took the flower and held it to your nose, your eyes never leaving the handsome boy. A warmth went through you as your fingers brushed, his were surprisingly soft and comforting. “Thank you, Jake.” 

“You can take as much as you’d like.” 

You shook your head and opened your book to place the stem of the flower inside for safe keeping, “That’s alright—this one’s my favorite.”  

A round of lovesick awes pulled Jake from his memory, and suddenly he wasn’t at his childhood property anymore surrounded by freshly bloomed flowers. “Go back to getting drunk please,” he hummed sarcastically; he overheard Javy whisper that he’d tell them the story. “Honey,” he turned his attention to you, putting eucalyptus in your vase. 

“Yes, dear,” you smiled. 

“You never did tell me why that one was your favorite.” He slid an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to his side. 

“It wasn’t obvious?” 

“No?” 

Well,” you sighed and leaned into him, “it’s my favorite because a handsome boy that literally fell for me gave it to me.” 

The man rolled his eyes, “I didn’t fall for you,” he defended badly, clearly lying. 

You reached up and kissed his cheek, “Yeah you did,” you hummed. 

He held you close and kissed the top of your head, “Don’t tell anyone.” 

“I won’t, but I think Javy might.” 

Their friends erupted with laughter which made Jake wince, “Fine. I did.”

[atom-writings]

Can I request something for China x reader? Yao has a crush on the reader, and he finds out that they're obsessed with pandas, and he takes Y/N to see and hug some pandas. Afterward, Y/N asks Yao if this was a date because they've had a crush on him for a long time.

Did I mention that I love pandas?

hetalia china taking reader to a panda sanctuary

1.1k words ~ gender neutral scenario

tw: none!

a/n: dont hug pandas in real life ): they are bears.

Yao was a man prone to overzealous spending and trips. The entire time you had known him, he'd been in and out of every country, indulging in extravagant expenses and experiences. It was hard not to become a little jealous, at some points, but he always made sure to buy something to send to you back at home. Sometimes golden jewellery and sweet perfumes, but most of the time, it was something related to pandas.

You had always loved pandas, a trait Yao loved. Pandas were always important to him and his culture, so he appreciates being around someone who appreciates them just as much as he does. It's stupid in retrospect, but he has to admit it's partly why he became so attached so fast.

The moment Yao showed you your ticket to Beijing, flying on his own private jet, you were like you were in a dream. You'd lived such a modest life, and now you were being given this opportunity for what? For being Yao's... well, Yao's something? That's it? It was almost guilt-inducing.

Now, a couple of days later, sitting in an expansive panda enclosure felt even more like a dream. Yao had always been given special privileges for some unknown reason, but this must be crossing some line somewhere.

But how are you supposed to think about anything when you're surrounded by pandas?

The instructor had given Yao a whole spiel before you two entered, but it wasn't like you could understand a single thing she had said. He chose to translate the entire speech very simply, ”Don't be mean, don't get too rough, don't pet them too much, and back off when something seems wrong.“

Simple enough. She didn't say anything about hugging them then.

As soon as you entered the enclosure, one panda immediately took to you two. Her name was simply Yangguang, and she was easily one of the cutest there.

She was a tad younger, around 4 years old, and still perfectly fluffy and chubby. Her eyes were like buttons, her pouched stomach barely hidden by her stubby legs, and her mouth permanently curled into a smile.

Although the other pandas bristled when they saw you and Yao, Yangguang had no problem being loved and hugged. Sure, her fur wasn't as soft as you wished it was, but it still felt like hugging a massive stuffed animal.

Like heaven on earth, she even leaned against you, basking in your unprompted affection. It was then that two more huge pandas lumbered up to you. Now you had three, adorable bears chirping at you, presumably wanting food.

As you pet them, all Yao could do was watch. He'd been here plenty of times, so it's not like he was desperate to hug them like you were. Plus, as much as he hated to admit it, seeing you have a good time made him just as happy as those pandas made you.

After about 30 minutes of overwhelming panda affection, including getting to watch them munch on some bamboo like the giant cuties that they are- Yao told you that your time was up.

So you were forced to dejectedly leave Yangguang alone in the forest once again, following behind Yao as the zookeeper went on and on about who knows what. It's always difficult to focus after a life-changing experience, and cuddling pandas for the first time definitely counts as that.

Eventually, the zookeeper leaves the two of you to your devices, and the overlook you were standing on is suddenly deserted except for Yao. Now it was quiet, except for the soft sounds of birds and distant crunching of grass under the panda's paws.

Looking over the enclosure, you were suddenly struck by how beautiful it was. The grass was a vibrant green, contrasted against the slender trees, all along the backdrop of a scenic valley. Mountains rose high above the two of you, almost giving you vertigo as you gazed upon the cloudy peaks.

”Do you like it here?“ Yao asks softly, looking over at you instead of the stunning surroundings.

”Yeah, it's- I don't know how to describe it. It's incredible. Thank you for taking me here, Yao. Really,” You respond quickly.

“You're always welcome back,”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course! Say the word and I'll bring you here. I promise.“

You break out into a wide smile, your eyes crinkling in the corners just the way Yao loved.

”You know, the lady said that Yangguang hasn't found a mate yet,“ He said after a peaceful moment.

”Really? Nobody?“

”Yes, it's very strange. No boys has shown any interest in her. Normally it's the other way around.”

That made you stay quiet even longer, thinking of all the failed romances of your past. Hurt, over and over again, and for what?

Every time you have feelings for someone, something goes wrong. That's why... that's why you and Yao were stuck in this uncomfortable stalemate. Maybe he knew your feelings, and that's why he's doing this. To let you down easy. Or maybe... it was something more?

“How could no one like her? She's so nice and cute,” You remark halfheartedly.

Yao, turns to you, leaning on the railing, ”That is what I was thinking.“

It was hard not to notice his cheeky smile, looking not unlike a panda himself.

“What?” You were forced to ask.

“I know another person who is nice and cute and yet doesn't think anyone likes them either,”

You felt your stomach drop a little, looking at him nervously. You took a deep breath, and asked, “Are you talking about me?”

Yao smiles, this time gently, ”Of course.“

All you can do is scoff and turn back to the enclosure, face just a little bit flushed. The silence between you two became deafening, drowning out the sounds of the forest.

After what seemed like forever, you were startled by the feeling of Yao's soft hand over yours.

”Will you be my Yangguang?“

You spun to face him, shocked at the question.

”What?“

He only smiled wider, “Will you be with me?”

“R-Romantically?” You sputter out, not believing your ears.

“What else?” He asks incredulously.

“I- Well- I- Yes!” You stutter.

Yao breathes out a sigh of relief, visibly deflating. He reaches out to brush aside a strand of your hair, looking at you just as you had looked at Yangguang earlier.

“Was this a good way to ask?”

“It was perfect.”

“Good. That's what you deserve. Perfection.”

[sleeping-ruby]

Project Sekai, "Over Here! Over There! Zookeeper Experience!" icons+layouts

(Minori, Shiho, Ichika)

Like/repost if used/saved pls<3

[sekaitransparents]

close contact! animal police 24 hours! gacha: greetings are the basis of all idols ~ megurine luka

[prskcostumes]

Striped Police

Striped Police is a costume that can be obtained by pulling in any Standard Gacha past the Close Contact! 24-Hour Animal Police! Gacha! The costume comes with an Exclusive Accessory for Luka and a Standard Accessory!

Alt 1

Alt 2

Alt 3

[its-a-ducky-mess]

Speculation: "Zookeeper Dad" Theory + Discussion

This theory comes from the Sarah & Duck subreddit. Might be scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

This sounds a bit out there, right? Some parts however do make some sense, and are certainly a unique way to view the show. The original theory is as follows:

[Source: reddit.com/r/sarahandduck/comments/arjndy/my_theory_about_sarahs_parents]

Supporting Evidence

The weekend hypothesis actually has ground, as from my skimming of the episode list, none of the episodes take place over the course of more than two days. Lots of Shallots and Picture Planes are such episodes, taking place over the time of two days. Singular day episodes fit neatly at any point in the weekend, and the two day ones would start on Saturday and continue to Sunday.

To offer a correction, Sarah actually says five days since they last saw the sea cows in Paisley Sea. Although you could interpret this as "five days ago", I interpret it as a five day gap.

Sarah also seems to have the zookeeper outfit seen in Sarah, Duck and the Penguins ready and prepared beforehand, not having to gather pieces or parts to assemble it. It seems to be a pre-existing outfit in her wardrobe.

Sarah and Duck are also never shown paying admission for the zoo in every episode they visit there. If the Narrator was a zookeeper, it's possible that he's allowed free entry for family members. That, or perhaps this zoo lacks paying for admission entirely, being a free experience. The entrance to the zoo does not feature any sort of gate or place to purchase tickets/other modes of entry.

[Source: Series 1, Episode 2, Sarah, Duck and the Penguins]

Sarah is additionally mistaken for a new zookeeper by another employee. Although she's confused, the Narrator doesn't refute that Sarah isn't a new zookeeper, and instead lets her assume this role. It's possible that, if the Narrator was a zookeeper, he would be able to watch over Sarah as she works in the penguin pen.

Contrary Evidence...?

So this is where things get very confusing. This next bit basically threw a wrench into several of my potential talking points and also part of my evidence presented prior. Be warned.

In Decorating Donkey, Sarah pulls out a calendar to mark a specific date before noticing the day the episode takes place on is when Tortoise wakes from hibernation.

We can see that the day the episode takes place on the second day of the week, which on most calendar layouts, is not a weekend day. This day would either be Monday if the layout was SMTWTFS, or Tuesday if the layout were MTWTFSS. However, none of these are actually the case. It's not even a six-column layout- one that features Saturday and Sunday on the same square- because it's something weirder. which I will make their own posts later:

Weeks in the world of Sarah & Duck are (possibly) only six days.

You can see this from the layout of the calendar in the right image. The dates the next row over are the previous ones with six added to them. The day a week after Tortoise day is only six days later, as opposed to a full week's seven.

Because of this, there is no way of knowing which days truly exist in a "Sarah & Duck week". If anything, having one less day in a week would make the "five days ago" point stronger.

Wait, this was about zookeepers and dads, right?

Minus that spiral of confusion, Sarah, when looking to the Narrator/Dad, she always looks at the camera, and never above it.

[Sources: Series 1, Episode 4, Cake Bake (left) | Series 1, Episode 40, Petal Light Picking (right)]

Closing Thoughts

Time anomalies aside, I think this is a neat "add-on" theory to NarraDad. "NarraKeeper" is basically just NarraDad with a few more steps to explain more things. I kinda like it. Obviously we don't see a school or any educational facilities in Sarah & Duck, giving credence to the weekend idea. Only issue with that I see is, unless Sarah's split parents lived decently close to each other, that's a lot of moving around for a kid to do. Then again, I do not come from a split household, so I have no frame of reference. Sarah also seems to have everything she needs at Dad's/the Narrator's house, which might make sense if her stay at Mom's is more based on academics. And perhaps unless Sarah was an incredibly good student, surely it would be reasonable for her to have assignments run over into the weekend? Or projects/other big assignments be given over the weekend?

Once again, neat lens to view the show through, all in all. Also once again, not intending to sway anyone to a side, just discussing and thinking and looking at these things with a closer eye.

[prskfancams]

[Renders/ Transparent PNGs, trained]

Please like and/or reblog if use! Credits appreciated!

Gacha: Close Contact! 24-Hour Animal Police! || 密着！アニマルポリス24時！

Event: Over Here! Over There! Zookeeper Experience! || あっちこっち飼育員体験！

Project Sekai Renders/ Transparent PNGs!

[animeweeb115]

[theworldismyoysterandiamthepearl]

ORANGUTAN LEARNS HOW TO NURSE FROM A BREASTFEEDING ZOOKEEPER

Mar 30, 2023

Zoe the orangutan needed help breastfeeding. Her first baby, Taavi, had to be hand-raised after she failed to nurse him and hold him properly. It’s likely Zoe never learned how to be a mom since she was orphaned at nine months old when her own mother died unexpectedly. Metro Richmond Zoo staff were determined to teach Zoe how to nurse successfully for her next baby.

When Zoe delivered her second baby on December 12, 2022, our vet contacted Whitlee Turner, a zookeeper and new mom herself, for an extraordinary favor. Whitlee was asked to breastfeed her own baby Caleb in front of Zoe in hopes that Zoe would learn from a live demonstration. Whitlee agreed to help and she and her son arrived at the orangutan’s indoor house soon after Zoe gave birth.

Whitlee was excited to share her breastfeeding knowledge with Zoe. Of the experience, she said:

“I just had my breastfeeding bra on, and I was able to show [Zoe] everything with zero modesty. I wanted her to be able to see the whole process because orangutans don’t wear shirts. I wanted her to be able to see my breasts and see Caleb and be able to see him rooting and looking for it and the latch.

With my bra down, I was very exaggerated when I put him on so that [Zoe] could see that the baby goes here. The whole time I was talking to her and pointing at her, pointing at the baby, pointing at her breasts. And when Caleb was latched I was showing it to her, making sure that she saw the important part.

The whole time she just kept watching me curiously. She didn’t immediately breastfeed her baby, but she was definitely watching the whole time.”

Less than 24 hours later, Zoe nursed her baby for the first time. The breastfeeding demonstration was successful, but that’s not all it took to help Zoe. For months before giving birth, zookeepers worked with her tirelessly to kickstart her maternal instincts. Zoe’s caretakers set up a TV inside, so she could watch videos of orangutan mothers giving birth and caring for their young. She watched the videos over and over again and learned from these experienced mothers.

from https://metrorichmondzoo.com/orangutan-learns-how-to-nurse-from-breastfeeding-zookeeper/