Zookeepers Share Their Favorite 'Behind the Scenes' Animal Photos: 'They Are All Fantastic'

Zookeepers across Europe shared their favorite animal photos from the past year as part of a photography competition on the Zoo Keepers Europe Facebook page

Published on December 13, 2021 04:58 PM

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Zookeepers from across Europe have shared their best pictures from the year — including striking snaps of rare white rhino calves and two giraffes kissing.

The amazing pictures were shared by keepers from zoos across the U.K., Denmark, France, and Sweden.

Facebook page, Zoo Keepers Europe, ran the competition and received nearly 200 entries.

Entries included a sleepy jaguar pictured at South Lakes Safari Zoo, Cumbria, and a hilarious photo of an otter showing off a fish at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

White rhino calves Iniko and Azeeza, both less than a year old, were snapped running around South Lakes Safari Zoo. Keke, one of the only bonobo apes in the U.K., looked like he was taking a selfie as he posed for a picture at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire. And keepers at Knuthenborg Safari Park, Denmark, captured the moment two Rothschild giraffes shared a kiss.

Craig Holmes, 33, farm manager at Almond Valley Heritage Centre in West Lothian, set up the Facebook page that helped the contest in 2015.

"The page was started as a network system for good, forward-thinking zookeepers across Europe to share ideas with each other," Holmes told SWNS. "We have nearly 12,000 members now and do various competitions every month.

"We had around 181 entries for the photography competition, and they are all fantastic," he added. "Some of them are good because they capture a special moment or something funny, and others are just great pictures."

According to Holmes, a photography competition made sense for the Facebook page, based on zookeepers' access to unforgettable animal moments.

"A lot of zookeepers are great at photography because they are always out and about seeing wildlife," Holmes said. "Keepers get to see a lot of behind-the-scenes action with the animals. Visitors would maybe have to stand around all day to catch them doing something funny, but the keepers are there all the time to capture those moments."