Four Years and Counting

Name: Allison Allum

Age: 17 years-old

Hometown: Monument, CO

Favorite Zoo Animal: Tahoma, the moose

Career Aspirations: I hope to become a veterinarian.

What’s your favorite part of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ)? Enrichment! I love that all of the animals get to do fun and educational activities.

How long have you been a Junior Zoo Keeper? I have been a Jr. Zoo Keeper for four years.

What inspired you to become a Junior Zoo Keeper here at CMZ? I want to work with exotic animals someday. It’s also nice to tell my friends that I work at a zoo.

What animals are you working with? I get to work with the grizzlies, mountain lions, wolves, the porcupine, the moose, lynx, tigers, leopards, and snow leopards. 

What are some of the activities that you’ve gotten to help with? I’ve gotten to help with cleaning, preparing animal diets, feeding, training, and enrichment making.

Why should other individuals apply to be a Junior Zoo Keeper? Being a Jr. Zoo Keeper is a fabulous opportunity.

Do you have any Funny/Good Stories? During the summer there was a sign placed at the moose exhibit talking about Tahoma’s antlers. A guest misread the sign and started talking to a large group of people, explaining that this animal was a Tahoma and they are closely related to moose. Obviously, she was a little confused.J