Keeper Madison Brandon describes enrichment, routines and standout animals at Sunset Zoo

Arly, education supervisor and volunteer coordinator at Sunset Zoo, introduced a Park It interview with Madison Brandon, whom Arly identified as the zoo’s head keeper. Brandon said the first animal she worked with was “a domestic rat,” and that she now focuses on enrichment work for the collection.

“I really like to 3D print enrichment items for the animals here at the zoo,” Brandon said. She described her morning rounds using the acronym CLAWS — containment, locks, animal, water, and safety — which she said guides every keeper’s initial check. Brandon recalled working as a bird show keeper and described the impact of free-flight demonstrations: seeing birds flying through guests was “amazing, inspiring, and incredibly memorable.”

Brandon named the okapi Nazadi as her favorite animal at the zoo, saying, “He’s such a good boy.” She also described a past construction effort in which she and a bird show team built an entire enclosure complex by hand. As an animal fact that surprised staff, Brandon noted that pigeons “are so smart that they can actually recognize pictures and fonts on feed bags and you can train them to recognize different art styles.”

The interview concluded with Brandon sharing a humorous anecdote about a white-necked raven that mimicked laughter and conversational phrases, demonstrating keeper–animal familiarity. The segment aired as part of Park It’s community feature highlighting local zoo staff.