One of Werribee Zoo’s meerkats gets one of its favourite treats, a cricket. 75504 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By XAVIER SMERDON
MOST people would run in the opposite direction if they saw a bucket full of crickets or cockroaches coming towards them, but not so for one Werribee Open Range Zoo keeper.
Mark Ireland has wanted to work at a zoo ever since he was a little kid and for the past four years he has been living his dream.
Mark considers himself a “jack of all trades and a master of none”, meaning that he is lucky enough to work with almost all of the animals at the popular tourist attraction.
A different side of his job is looking after the bugs which will eventually become food for the different ‘insectivore’ (insect eating) animals that live at the zoo.
The grasshoppers, cockroaches and mealworms make up an important part of the strict diets for animals like meerkats and monkeys.
As for Mark, his favourite animals to look after are the vervet monkeys.
“It’s the newest round to me so it’s really interesting to see how they interact,” Mark said.
“I really enjoy the hands on aspect and getting up close with some of the animals. I think that is the best part of the job.”
The Werribee Open Range Zoo is holding lots of activities for children in the last weeks of the summer holidays.
The Open Range, Open Late season extends zoo opening hours by two hours until 7pm and will feature small African musical combos and late safari bus tours so visitors can make the most of the warm summer days.
