Great Apes & other PrimatesGiant PandasNicole Meese, Animal Keeper
Great Apes & Other Primates
Giant Pandas

How long have you worked at the Zoo?
I have been a primate keeper here at the National Zoo since 1998. I also began working with the giant pandas in 2001. Prior to coming to the National Zoo, I was a primate and carnivore keeper at the Chattanooga Zoo.

What do you love most about working here?
What I love most about my job is being able to work with the two types of animals (primates and pandas) that have facinated me the most since I was a little girl visiting the National Zoo. I am also lucky to work in the unit that cares for BOTH primates and pandas—it would be extremely difficult for me to have to choose.

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 also 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 experience working with primates was a few years ago, when I visited the Zoo with a friend on my day off. I wasn't wearing my zoo uniform, and I didn't have any primate food, but as soon as one of the macaques saw me, she came running toward the glass! She was lip-smacking (a macaque greeting) the whole way, and sat up against the glass where I was standing. It was a neat feeling to know that she recognized me, just as much as I recognized her.

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 with on a day to day basis, 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 awhile, because you always hope that they'll be able to pull through somehow.

What are your main responsibilities?
My main responsibilies include cleaning enclosures, diet preparation, feeding, and enrichment and training.

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