Kid Territory: Jobs: Designing and Constructing

An architect discusses blueprints for the hippo enclosure in the Zoo's Ituri Forest exhibit with a mammal curator.

It takes a lot of hard work to build the natural-looking habitats you see at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

Here’s what the gharials’ exhibit looked like during its construction on the Zoo’s Reptile Mesa.

What we do

Did you know that we constantly remodel both the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park? Not all at once, of course! There is usually a section and/or several smaller projects at a time—we’re always working on something! Our team includes architects and construction and maintenance workers. Architects design new exhibits after gathering information from the animal care staff. They need input about animal health and safety needs, plus viewing opportunities for our guests. Our construction staff advises the architects about the "nuts and bolts" of projects and then maintains those exhibits once they’re completed.

What’s cool about this job

Getting to work with such a diverse group of animals, plants, and people. It is a pleasure to see animals move into their new homes, and then watch the public enjoy the new habitats. It is satisfying to have our work seen by millions of people, knowing that our guests are learning about conservation issues as they explore the exhibits.

Job challenges

We want to make the animal habitats as natural as possible. It is very difficult to duplicate nature, especially since we often build things that no one has ever built before! Since we need so much input from so many people, it is sometimes challenging to coordinate efforts among the different departments and get everyone to agree on a final product.

How this job helps animals

We strive to improve the animals' lives in a zoo setting, designing their surroundings to be comfortable, safe, and healthy. The natural-looking exhibits give our visitors an appreciation for nature, and help educate them about issues and steps they can take to help.

How to get a job like this

If you are interested in architecture, take drafting classes in school, and perhaps work in the construction industry as a summer job. This will give you a good idea of what's involved in building and design. To be more involved in the construction aspect, develop job skills in the area that interests you most. Most of the major work on the big projects is done by outside contractors, because our in-house construction people are so busy with day-to-day maintenance. Most importantly, if there is something you enjoy doing, then continue to pursue that.