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Nicole MacCorkle, Animal Keeper
 Giant Pandas

How long have you worked at the Zoo?

I started as a primate keeper here at the National Zoo in 1998. I began working with the giant pandas in 2001. When the Zoo animal care department reorganized in 2011, I began working with the giant pandas exclusively. I hope to also work with the other animals on Asia Trail in the future. Prior to coming to the Zoo, I was a primate and carnivore keeper at the Chattanooga Zoo.

What do you love most about working here?

As a Northern Virginia native, I grew up visiting the National Zoo every summer. I was always interested in the giant pandas, following stories of Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing in the news even when I went away to college. Never in a million years would I have dreamed I would be working so closely with the giant pandas. I really love watching how the pandas captivate the visitors, as they did me so many years ago.

Do you love working with animals?

I love working with animals, and I knew at a very young age that I wanted to work with animals. Loving animals is a huge part of being a zookeeper, but you also must be committed to the animals in your care. Being a zookeeper is a rewarding career, but it involves some sacrifices, such as getting up very early in the morning, giving up many of your weekends and holidays, and working outside in all types of weather. To me, the positives FAR outweigh the negatives, though!

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is getting to know the animals individually, and vice versa. My most memorable experiences involve watching Tai Shan, the giant panda born in 2005, grow up here at the Zoo. I had the very special privilege of being one of his regular keepers, as well as his trainer, and I was able to accompany him to his new home in China and watch him settle in there. I learned a lot about training animals and about how young giant pandas develop as I worked with Tai Shan, and hopefully will get to use all I learned with another panda cub in the future.

What do you dislike about your job?

The thing that I dislike about my job is when one of the animals in my care dies. You become very attached to the animals that you work every day, and when they're gone, they leave a big void. It's particularly hard to lose an animal that has been dealing with health problems for a while, because you always hope that they'll be able to pull through somehow.

What are your main responsibilities?

My main responsibilities include cleaning enclosures, providing food and enrichment to the giant pandas, and training the giant pandas. I also interact with visitors and volunteers on a regular basis.

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