Zookeepers self-isolate in animal park to keep them fed

Four zookeepers at Paradise Park in Cornwall have moved into a house on site (Pictures: Paradise Park/SWNS)

Four zookeepers have decided to self-isolate on the grounds of a wildlife sanctuary to make sure the animals are properly cared for during the coronavirus crisis.

The staff members from Paradise Park in Cornwall have moved into a house on site so they can continue feeding and cleaning the 1,200 birds and mammals housed there.

They will be supported by other keepers working on split rotas and covering different areas of the grounds.

Paradise Park closed temporarily on March 21, but staff have been posting regular updates on social media and also run live webcams so people can still enjoy seeing the penguins at feeding time.

Paradise Park, in Hayle, Cornwall, is home to 1,200 birds and mammals that still require care despite the coronavirus pandemic (Picture: SWNS)

Izzy Wheatley (pictured) will be living in the house, alongside keepers Sarah-Jane Cooke, Rachel Carter, and Emily Phillips (Picture: Paradise Park/SWNS)

One of the keepers, Izzy Wheatley, said: ‘I had been thinking about how to handle the situation we all find ourselves in re isolating and social distancing as I have a big family including an elder member who has gone in to 12 weeks isolation.

‘At the same time the directors were having the same thoughts about using the house that is onsite and which became free as the Cornish Chough conservation meeting had just been cancelled.

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‘Myself and two other keepers Rachel and Emily then moved in to the onsite house on Saturday.’

She added: ‘We have just under 1,200 individual birds and mammals to look after, feeding, cleaning, giving medications, supplying enrichment activities, and any vital maintenance.

‘We are being supported by other keepers who are coming in at different times of day so they can keep separate, and obviously we are keeping our distance from them.

‘This is being achieved by changed rotas and splitting up areas of the Park to ensure we are all working in different areas.

Sarah-Jane, with penguin Mildred by her side, choosing between Rachel and Emily, who are playing the part of visitors as part of keeping the animals in their routine (Picture: Paradise Park/SWNS)

‘We are keeping up the daily routines with our Humboldt’s Penguins.

‘A few are hand-reared and very friendly and in the summer season from Easter onwards they take part in ‘Photocalls’.

‘Usually, at the two feeding times of 11am and 3pm, we select a handful of visitors to help feed the penguins, give a talk then visitors are invited to meet and stroke one of the friendly ones and take photos.

‘To ensure we are ready when we re-open, we are continuing to go through these routines.

‘Plus we continue training with our eagles, vultures, hawks, macaws and other species who take part in our big free flying displays throughout the summer.’

Sarah-Jane going through the routine with Paloma where visitors would normally get to meet and stroke a penguin and take photos (Picture: Paradise Park/SWNS)

The park temporarily closed just over a week ago, but staff regularly update its social media pages and run live webcams so would-be visitors don’t completely miss out on seeing the wildlife.

One covers the penguins – including the 11am and 3pm feeding sessions – while the other is from the red-billed chough seclusion aviaries showing them nest-building for the coming breeding season.

Izzy said: ‘We might get to a point where we don’t have any of our keepers in if we get it at the same time so we have to consider what happens then.

‘We’ve made guidelines so some of our maintenance workers can help feed.

‘We would normally do penguin feeding times at our normal times, at 11am and 3pm, and we are trying to keep this going so people can still be involved in the park.

‘We will be having one of our keepers down there at those times to keep penguin feeding going as normal and we are looking into other things we could do with that so keep an eye on the Facebook page in case we decide we have some more things to do.’

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