Keeper McChesney

The animal "keepers" at the NC Zoo come to their positions from varied backgrounds. Some have served zoos and other wildlife organizations across the country and world.

In the November issue of "The Midden", the NC Chapter of the AAZK (American zoo keepers' association) publication, a more locally "developed" keeper, Beth McChesney, is introduced.

A native of Greensboro, she worked at that city's Natural Science Center as a "weekend keeper" for four years. Her charges there included lemurs, bison, elk, birds of prey, rheas and barnyard animals.

A graduate of Appalachian State (Ecology/Environmental Biology), she has worked at Grandfather Mountain. For three years there she worked with black bears, cougars, otters, deer and eagles.

At the NC Zoo, Beth spent five years at ZOG (Zebra Ostrich Giraffe) and the warthog exhibit before moving up the "African" trail to her current duties at Cat/Chimp (the African lion and chimpanzee exhibits).