These include adorable animals such as alpacas, ponies, otters and meerkats as well as much feared pythons and crocodiles.

The many zookeepers here play multiple roles in caring for these animals in captivity and while interacting with and feeding the animals are part and parcel of their responsibilities, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

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A typical day for Mohammad Khairullah Shah, better known as Khai, begins around 8.00am when he tackles his first task – housekeeping.

He said he has to make sure all the animal enclosures are in pristine condition before the gates are open at 10.00am to welcome visitors.

“From 8.00am to 8.30am, our task is to focus only on cleaning. We use a water pump to spray all the dirt to one side. Then it is swept away until (the area) is completely clean,” he told FMT.

Next, Khai will distribute heaps of chopped carrots and cabbage to the various feeding stations scattered throughout the zoo, so visitors can interact with the animals by feeding them.

In the afternoon, Khai fulfils yet another role – that of caretaker. He explained that every station in the zoo is manned by a few zookeepers as no animal can be left unattended under any circumstances.

“Some will also be in charge of cleaning the lake, drains, trimming trees, transferring animals (to other enclosures) as well as providing enrichment to the animals,” he said, adding that enrichment was an important part of encouraging the natural behaviours of the animals.

Khai said that besides fulfilling the roles of cleaner, animal feeder and caretaker, ensuring the health of the animals was also a top priority.

“We have to ensure the health of the animals. For example, if an animal has a disease that is not terminal, they will be treated according to doctor’s orders,” he said.

Once visitors start streaming in, Khai plays the role of guest relations officer, taking visitors, in particular children, around to the various enclosures to meet the animals there. He shares his knowledge of the different species with them, and answers any questions they may have about the animals.

Once the clock strikes 5.30pm, it’s feeding time, a task that requires some heavy lifting – quite literally – as the standard weight of a basket of food is 60kg.

“Of course, it is tiring – I won’t deny that. But not to the extent that I feel: ‘Oh I’m too tired to work after this’. That’s never been my attitude,” he said.

When closing time comes around at 6.00pm, every animal is given the once-over, just to ensure none are injured in any way or looking sick. The zookeepers also do a head count to make sure no animal has gone missing.

“At night, security takes over and the animals are checked every two hours. In the event of an emergency, the person in charge is contacted immediately. So, there are people on call every night,” he said.

Khai said one challenging aspect of his job was going in search of animals that had gone missing.

“We have a deer that escapes all the time and we have to search for it. It’s no easy task luring a deer back to its enclosure. We can’t force it, so we have to find ways to steer it back to its enclosure on its own,” he said.

When asked about his chosen career as a zookeeper, the 26-year-old said he had always been fascinated by animals. He said that every time he discovered a new animal, he would eagerly share the information with his family.

He said the best part about his job was caring for and training the animals at the zoo from the time they were born. “It really makes me appreciate the beauty of life,” he said, adding that this has created a bond between him and the animals.

His biggest dream is to open a small petting zoo of his own in his hometown in Kuantan.

“I will get as much experience as I can in ‘Farm in the City’ – from handling animals to managing people as well as learning customer service. I need to learn as much as I can,” he said.

He said that to become a zookeeper, one must have a passion for the job.

“Secondly, they must have tolerance and not expect anything in return. Teamwork (among zookeepers) is also important. Lastly, you must have a deep interest in what you do,” he said.