Meet Dan Meates, a zookeeper at Rosamond Gifford Zoo. When the zoo was founded in 1914, just a handful of animals called the four-acre facility their home. Now, more than 700 diverse species reside in the zoo's 43 acres. As a general curator, Meates oversees specialized zookeepers who care for the expansive variety of species. But as a master falconer, Meates' speciality in birds of prey means he spends more time in that area of the zoo. All who work at the zoo, including Meates, consider animal conservation the primary goal of their work.

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