Welcome to my series of interviews with some wonderful people who work within the natural world, from zoo keepers, to museum curators and everything in between and those that are on the path to working in these positions too. Be inspired for a future where you can combine your love of nature with your day job. I hope you enjoy these interviews, that you can learn something from them and they can inspire you.

Now let me introduce you to Nicky.....

Name

Nicky Plaskitt

Age

41

Location

Hertfordshire

What do you do?

I am a Zoological Behaviour Consultant. I run my own business (have done since 2021) and now my work is focused on improving animal welfare by empowering keepers and caregivers with the skills to manage the behaviour of their animals. I work with zoos, aquaria and college facilities with animal collections, teaching the staff how to train their animals to cooperate in their own care, husbandry and for public education programmes. I work in zoos across the UK, Europe and further afield, sometimes virtually, mostly in person. I am a certified professional animal and bird trainer.

How did you get into it?

I worked in zoos in the UK for over 20 years, in a range of positions, from keeper all the way to training coordinator and section manager. I worked with a huge variety of species and learned from some incredible mentors. I am the International Board Member for the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators, a Board Member for the International Animal Trainers Certification Board, and a Trustee for The Bird of Prey Project.

What made you want to do what you do?

I always wanted to work with animals and always knew I would in some capacity. After my prolonged time spent in zoos, I knew that training and behaviour management was the thing I really loved and so moving into a role where that is my whole job and I get to travel and work with different facilities all the time is such a rewarding experience.

What does it involve?

I spend a lot of my time observing training sessions, coaching staff through steps and troubleshooting, creative problem solving and looking at the environmental set up to make it as easy as possible for the animal to be successful. 

Did you need any qualifications?

Getting into animal keeping I did by gaining experience – work ex and volunteering is really important for this, but there are formal qualifications you can take before this as well. Once I had my job I did the zookeepers qualification course (now called the DMZAA – Diploma in the Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals) and have taken various training certifications. 

Any tips for a young person that wants to do what you do?

First up you have to really want to build relationships with animals and people – a lot of zoo keepers think they just get to work with animals all day but in fact this is a very people centric job. Especially now, my work is almost entirely teaching and mentoring humans! So go into the field with your eyes open, know that working with animals has massive highs, and very low lows so prepare for that. 

What is the best part of what you do?

Improving the lives of animals in the zoos and facilities I work with. Seeing people who didn’t think it was possible to work with their animal for a medical behaviour having a breakthrough as they get to take blood or do an injection without restraint, watching peoples confidence grow as their skills develop, and building relationships with the teams at my regular consults.

What is the worst part of what you do?

Ugh social media!!! Running my own business means I use social media to advertise what I do, get more followers and new clients, but its so much work trying to stay on top of it!

What is your favourite animal?

It’s a cliché but ‘whoever I am working with at the time!’ Having said that there is a special place in my heart for a beautiful old lady barn owl called Sophie!

What was the first animal that you fell in love with?

If you mean in a work situation, there are too many to count, but I learned a huge amount from working with a lanner falcon named Hector in about 2004….However I think I have learned something from and fallen in love with everything I’ve ever worked with. From Tallahassee the Harris Hawk, Cher the Spider monkey, Thug the Pygmy hippo, Bounty the Squirrel monkey, Bert the African grey, Rio and Toes the Military macaws, Bobby the Moluccan cockatoo, and currently Herb, Sugar and Spice the Highland cows!

What is your favourite place in nature?

I love to travel, so anywhere exotic so I can see wildlife in their natural habitat. Most recently I spent 3 weeks in Peru, travelling up the Amazon looking at all the incredible species that call it home.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Running a business means there isn’t a lot of spare time! But I like to travel, take photos of wildlife, spend time with my cats and look after my hundreds of house plants! 

If you were not doing what you do now what else would you love to do?

I can’t imagine a pathway where I didn’t end up doing this job. Even when its hard, I love it.

Who inspires you?

Mostly the animals – I love nothing more than hearing about something which is going to happen and trying to come up with the least stressful way to help the animal to participate in the procedure.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope that looking for ways to work with our animal colleagues becomes routine in all animal care facilities and I would love to be a part of building that way of thinking for the next generation of animal keepers and caregivers.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about?

In addition to working directly in zoological facilities I run workshops for keepers to develop their skills and talk to students in colleges about the work I do to help them choose their next steps.

Where can people find you? 

www.shapingbehaviour.com

Shaping Behaviour on Facebook

@nickyshapingbehaviour on Instagram

Shaping Behaviour on LinkedIn