My day as a zookeeper: B is for (Gelada) Baboon, G is for Giraffe

My morning was dedicated to small mammals (well, smallish), and amongst them were probably the least obviously interesting from a personal perspective. You see, I've never been terribly keen on baboons - they're kind of violent and aggressive. Accordingly, the promise of Gelada Baboons was not expected to be one of the high points of my day. However, it just goes to prove that you shouldn't rush to judgement.

Gelada - beautiful plumage...

Male gelada have a wonderful coat. Admittedly, it comes with a pretty bad attitude, but the coat is superb. What makes them particularly interesting, however, is that they are grazing primates, and not actually baboons at all, although closely related. I was allowed to feed Bruno, the dominant male, sunflower seeds, which they rather like, before feeding the others. Admittedly, I wasn't allowed into the enclosure, but I didn't feel particularly threatened.

Inbound giraffe in search of more fresh leaves

A giraffe, on the other hand, is not only rather bigger, but rather more charming. My job was to feed the giraffes with some rather tasty snacks, some particularly fine leafy tips. I have form with giraffes, having been licked by one at Louisville Zoo some years ago, and I was prepared for the black tongues that they have, so coloured to protect them from sunburn.

It was an incredibly relaxing experience, talking to the keeper and the giraffes in turn, and being able to get so close to such wonderful creatures. They are, despite their size, very gentle creatures and I could have spent much longer with them than time permitted. Besides, I was there to work, not just to watch...

The next instalment will be brought to you by the letter L...