Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Zoo Veterinary Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The Zoo Veterinary Technician provides hands-on clinical support for the health and welfare of captive wildlife and exotic species across a zoo or wildlife park setting. This role is responsible for assisting veterinarians with medical procedures, anesthesia and surgery support, sample collection and diagnostic testing, medication administration, preventive health programs, and multi-disciplinary animal care coordination. The technician ensures strict adherence to biosecurity and zoonotic disease prevention protocols, maintains detailed medical records, participates in enrichment and husbandry programs, and contributes to public-facing education when required. Ideal candidates combine veterinary technical skills (venipuncture, radiography, laboratory techniques) with strong animal handling experience, excellent documentation, and a commitment to conservation and ethical animal care.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Veterinary Technician (small animal or equine) seeking transition to exotics/wildlife
Animal Caregiver / Zookeeper with clinical experience or formal vet tech training
Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician or Veterinary Assistant with relevant certifications

Advancement To:

Senior Zoo Veterinary Technician / Lead Vet Tech
Clinical Coordinator / Veterinary Services Supervisor
Zoo Veterinarian (with DVM and relevant residency or experience)
Conservation Medicine Specialist or Wildlife Health Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

Lead Zookeeper / Husbandry Supervisor
Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator
Research Technician in wildlife disease and conservation labs

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Assist veterinarians in diagnostic procedures including venipuncture, catheter placement, urine/fecal collection, swabbing, and interpretation-ready sample preparation for hematology, chemistry, cytology, and microbiology testing — ensuring chain-of-custody, labeling accuracy and timely transport to in-house or external laboratories.
Prepare, induce, maintain and monitor anesthesia for a wide range of species (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians) using chemical immobilization protocols; monitor vitals (ECG, capnography, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature) and document anesthetic records and recovery progress.
Provide perioperative support: sterilize and prepare surgical instruments and sterile fields, assist during surgeries by passing instruments, suctioning, maintaining hemostasis, placing drains and bandages, and performing post-operative wound care and monitoring.
Administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, injectable, intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous), perform dose calculations, prepare compound medications, and maintain controlled substance logs in compliance with institutional, state and federal regulations.
Perform routine and emergency clinical procedures such as fluid therapy (IV/IO/SubQ), blood transfusion assistance, venous and arterial blood gas collection, glucose monitoring, and feeding tube placement/maintenance.
Operate and troubleshoot diagnostic equipment including digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, portable x-ray units, and point-of-care analyzers; obtain diagnostic images and samples to support veterinarian interpretation and treatment planning.
Conduct physical examinations and wellness checks, record clinical observations, document behavior and appetite, and escalate deviations to the attending veterinarian with clear, prioritized clinical notes.
Maintain and manage comprehensive medical records using veterinary practice management systems and electronic health records—ensure accuracy of medical histories, treatment plans, vaccination records, and lab results for regulatory compliance and research purposes.
Implement and monitor preventive medicine programs including vaccination schedules, parasite control, quarantine protocols for new arrivals, and pre-transport health assessments — coordinate with animal husbandry and quarantine staff to enforce isolation and biosecurity measures.
Participate in outbreak response and infectious disease surveillance by performing diagnostic sample collection, following biosafety level procedures, facilitating contact tracing of exposed animals, and supporting necropsy logistics when required.
Assist with necropsies and post-mortem examinations: prepare and process tissues for histopathology, maintain chain-of-custody for specimens, document findings, and contribute to mortality reviews and reporting.
Design, prepare and deliver behavioral enrichment protocols in collaboration with husbandry staff to support recovery, reduce stress during clinical procedures, and promote species-appropriate welfare outcomes.
Train and supervise volunteers, interns, zookeepers and junior staff in safe animal handling techniques, restraint protocols, sample collection, basic clinical skills, and emergency procedures while ensuring adherence to institutional SOPs.
Maintain supply inventories for clinical areas: track pharmaceutical stocks, order medical supplies, manage cold chain storage for biologics, and coordinate maintenance and calibration of clinical equipment.
Ensure compliance with regulatory standards (USDA, AZA, state veterinary boards) by preparing documentation for inspections, licensing requirements, controlled substance audits, and animal welfare reviews.
Participate in scheduled health rounds, multi-disciplinary case conferences and research initiatives; compile and present clinical summaries, contribute to case-based learning and help translate clinical findings into husbandry and conservation actions.
Provide emergency triage and first response for trauma, acute illness or obstetric emergencies — perform emergency stabilization, coordinate rapid diagnostics and facilitate transfer to surgical or intensive care under veterinarian oversight.
Conduct behavioral assessments and handling risk analyses prior to clinical procedures; develop species- and individual-specific restraint and anesthesia plans to minimize stress and ensure safety for staff and animals.
Support nutrition and feeding programs by creating and administering therapeutic diets, assist with tube feedings or supplemental feeding regimes for neonates, ill or convalescent animals and document intake and nutritional responses.
Coordinate animal transports and transfers with attention to pre-transport health certification, sedation needs, crate/restraint requirements and communication with receiving institutions to ensure animal welfare and regulatory compliance.
Assist with public education and outreach efforts as needed: provide behind-the-scenes tours, educational talks on animal health and conservation, and represent the veterinary team in media or stakeholder communications with guidance from the veterinarian.
Participate in institutional research projects and conservation medicine studies by collecting standardized clinical data, facilitating sample biobanking, and ensuring ethical and protocol-compliant handling of study animals.

Secondary Functions

Maintain clinic cleanliness, sterilization procedures, and facility maintenance logs to uphold biosecurity and operational readiness.
Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency action plans and clinical protocols.
Support grant-funded research and conservation programs by preparing clinical documentation, assisting with protocol compliance and collaborating with external research partners.
Facilitate training sessions and continuing education workshops for husbandry and clinical staff on new techniques, equipment or guidelines.
Manage controlled substance inventories and ordering processes, maintain accurate logs and assist with audits to ensure legal compliance.
Support departmental data collection and basic analysis for animal health metrics, vaccination uptake, and treatment outcomes to inform quality improvement initiatives.
Assist with outreach to veterinary reference labs and specialists to coordinate advanced diagnostics, consultations and case referrals.
Participate in cross-departmental committees (welfare, enrichment, transport, safety) to ensure veterinary perspectives inform institutional policies and exhibit/collection decisions.
Provide back-up support for off-hours on-call rotations and emergency response teams when scheduled.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Clinical sample collection and preparation: venipuncture, sterile technique, fecal flotation, cytology slides, and fixation for histopathology.
Anesthesia and sedation skills: induction techniques, monitoring (ECG, pulse oximetry, capnography), recovery protocols, and emergency drug administration.
Radiography and diagnostic imaging: positioning, exposure parameters for exotic species, and basic image quality assessment.
Laboratory diagnostics: operation of point-of-care analyzers (hematology, chemistry), basic microbiology, and familiarity with sample shipping requirements.
Surgical assistance: aseptic technique, instrument handling, suture patterns, and post-operative wound management.
Emergency medicine and critical care: fluid therapy calculations, IV/IO access, CPR for multiple taxa, and triage protocols.
Controlled substance handling and record-keeping compliant with state and federal regulations.
Medical recordkeeping in veterinary practice management systems and proficiency with electronic health records and data entry standards.
Animal restraint and species-specific handling techniques spanning birds, reptiles, marine mammals and mammals — including use of squeeze cages, nets, hoods and chemical restraint planning.
Biosecurity and zoonotic disease prevention: PPE use, quarantine protocols, disinfection procedures and outbreak containment measures.
Instrument maintenance and sterilization procedures (autoclave operation, cold sterilization, instrument set assembly).
Basic laboratory research support: sample labeling, chain-of-custody, cryopreservation and maintaining biospecimen inventories.

Soft Skills

Clear, professional written and verbal communication for clinical reporting, interdisciplinary handovers and public-facing education.
Strong teamwork and collaborative skills to work with veterinarians, keepers, curators, and external specialists.
Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills for medication dosing, record management and regulatory compliance.
Problem-solving and critical thinking under pressure during emergencies or complex cases.
Empathy and commitment to animal welfare with the ability to make humane, evidence-based decisions.
Teaching and mentorship capability to train volunteers, interns and junior staff in clinical protocols.
Time-management and prioritization in a fast-paced clinical and husbandry environment.
Cultural and institutional adaptability—ability to work outdoors, on weekends, and under variable weather/exhibit conditions.
Professionalism and confidentiality when handling sensitive medical and institutional information.
Resilience and stress tolerance in the face of traumatic cases, euthanasia decisions and high-acuity situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Veterinary Technology (AVMA-accredited program preferred) or equivalent veterinary technician certification with demonstrated clinical experience in exotics/wildlife.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Technology, Animal Science, Wildlife Biology, or related field. Additional certifications such as Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT, RVT, LVT) and specialized exotics/wildlife continuing education are highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Veterinary Technology
Animal Science / Zoology
Wildlife Biology / Conservation Medicine
Biology, Zoology, or related life sciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5+ years of clinical veterinary technician experience, with at least 1–2 years working with exotic species, zoo animals, or wildlife rehabilitation.

Preferred:

3+ years of veterinary technician experience in zoological settings or equivalent experience in wildlife hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or specialty exotics clinics.
Demonstrated experience in anesthesia, diagnostic imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and surgical assistance for non-domestic species.
Experience with regulatory compliance (USDA, AZA) and institutional SOP development preferred.