How I Got Here: Zookeeper Hannah Dix
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Admit it, we’ve all been there—stalking social media and LinkedIn profiles, trying desperately to figure out how the hell someone got their dream job.
It seems impossible and yet there they are, living out your career fantasy (minus the itchy business suit). It might seem hard to believe, but once upon a time, they were also fantasising about their future career, and with some hard work, they made it.
Welcome to How I Got Here, HerCanberra’s series that reveals everything you wanted to know about the secrets of career success. This week we profile Hannah Dix, a zookeeper and primate specialist at the National Zoo and Aquarium.
Existential crisis time: Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Hannah Dix, and I am a full-time zookeeper predominantly working with Primates at the National Zoo and Aquarium Canberra. Our primate species range from tiny little pygmy marmosets through to our largest primates the Siamangs.
Let’s go back to when you were a kid, have you always dreamed of working in this industry?
Honestly from about the age of four or five, pretty much since I can remember (and from what my parents have told me) I’ve wanted to work as a zookeeper. It was a toss-up between a zookeeper or marine biologist for a little bit when I was younger, but once I started doing the junior zookeeping program here at the zoo 16 years ago I was hooked on becoming a zookeeper.
Tell us about when you were first starting out, what set a fire in your belly to get here and how did you do it?
Starting out at the zoo I was extremely lucky to enroll in the junior zookeeping program we have here at the zoo. From there I went on to doing three lots of work experience, volunteering, working as an education officer, working in our reception and front-of-house areas, and then becoming a zookeeper five years ago. Knowing that I was helping these animals in a zoological facility have the best life possible, and being able to talk to guests and the public to raise awareness about these animals in the wild, was the reason I wanted to be where I am today. To be able to work so closely and build a bond and relationship with the animals I work with is such a phenomenal feeling. It really does build the passion for this job when you can see a wild animal look at you with trust. To get to where I am now, I tried to do anything and everything that would help me get a foot in the door, topping it off with a Certificate III in Captive Animals.
Recall a time when you wanted to chuck it all in; what did you tell yourself when it got too hard?
Zookeeping is not for the fainthearted. It is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get where you want to go within the industry and that’s why as zookeepers, we all have so much passion and love for our job. I would remind myself when it got that little bit too hard, that I was there for the animals, and I was there to provide them with the best care, enrichment and everything they needed for the best life. Sometimes going to have a cuddle with our ruffed lemur troop helped too. Animals also pick up on our emotions, and sometimes during the hard days, some of the primates I work with really know I needed to just sit with them in their habitat.
What was your biggest break?
For me, my biggest break was during the Covid lockdown when I was invited as one of the few volunteers to be allowed back on-site during the lockdown, and a few weeks later they offered me a casual keeping position for the dedication and hard work I had shown during that time.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I follow through daily is honestly to keep your head down and good things come to those who work hard and have patience.
What is it about your industry that you love and what makes you want to pull your hair out?
I love working within the animal industry because I’m working with so many like-minded people who are on the same wavelength as me and also working with such amazing creatures and no two days are the same. There is always something that keeps you on your toes, especially working with primates as they have their own little personalities and niche things they like. You’re also just always on the move and adapting to different situations on the go, your brain is always on which is great.
Tell us how you ‘stay in the know’, what media do you consume?
Staying in the know for me is through social media such as Facebook and Instagram. I also love online magazines and articles from different companies.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, who knows, I’m so incredibly lucky that my job and certificate have given me the opportunity to go pretty much anywhere that there is a zoological facility, overseas or in Australia. It would be incredible to do some more travelling to see different animal species out in the wild. But I still hope to be working in a zoo environment, I will let the tide take me where it thinks I need to be and go.
Why should people follow in your footsteps?
I think for anyone who wants to work with animals and has that burning passion to give animals an enriched life in a zoological facility, and has a passion for any conservation work, zookeeping is a great step into that area. There are so many different pathways once you are in the animal industry, from veterinary, zookeeping, animal trainer, wildlife ranger, and marine biologist; there are so many jobs that can fit a passionate animal person’s work ethic and lifestyle. Mainly it’s to care for the animals for the future, and future generations, the captive institutions we have all across the world are a population of endangered animals that might need to be repopulated into the wild one day.
Zoological facilities are such a huge part of that breeding to be able to have a secure population in captivity, as well as raising awareness of conservation efforts for wild animals and habitats. I think people should follow in my footsteps so we can have that care and compassion for many generations to come of our natural world. It really is an important role in today’s society, with global warming and deforestation being at the forefront of problems for our animals.
What advice would you give your past self?
Advice to my younger self would be just keep trying all the different things in life, and keep going through all the hurdles that get put in front of you, you do make it eventually, and you get to work with some great people and some even greater animals. Also take every opportunity sent your way, it’s worth it and you will have so many amazing memories for the rest of your life.
