Install Findmino as an app for the best experience!
(Zoo Animal Registrar, Aquarium Registrar, Animal Records Coordinator, Zoo Records Keeper)
Agriculture & Environment
Salary
€32,000 - €58,000/yr
Level
Professional
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Agriculture & Environment
As a Zoo Registrar you are responsible for maintaining comprehensive and accurate records of all animals within a zoological collection, covering everything from births and deaths to veterinary treatments and transfers. You manage both historical and current data, entering information into recognised international record-keeping systems and submitting regular reports to regional and global species databases as part of managed breeding programmes. A significant part of the role involves ensuring compliance with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) regulations and other animal welfare legislation whenever animals are moved between institutions. You coordinate animal transportation logistics, liaising with vets, keepers, conservation bodies, and partner zoos across Europe and beyond. In Ireland, Dublin Zoo is the primary employer for this highly specialised position, though aquariums and wildlife parks may also require similar expertise.
Listen: a day as a Zoo Registrar
You arrive at the zoo's administration block at 8:15 on a Tuesday morning, make a coffee and open your email before the keepers' morning briefing at 8:30. Overnight the reptile team flagged that a juvenile Aldabra tortoise has hatched, so the first thing you do after the briefing is walk to the reptile house to confirm the hatch, note the time, check the hatchling's weight with the keeper and assign it a studbook number in your copy of ZIMS — the Zoological Information Management System used by zoos worldwide. Back at your desk by 9:30, you update the animal's records in ZIMS: parentage, date of birth, enclosure location and the responsible keeper. You also draft a formal notification to the European studbook keeper for Aldabra tortoises, who coordinates the managed breeding programme across dozens of institutions. The email needs to be precise because inaccurate data affects breeding recommendations for the entire European population.
A relevant Honours Bachelor degree (NFQ Level 8) is the typical minimum entry point for this role; useful disciplines include zoology, biology, wildlife conservation, or animal science, available at universities such as UCD, University of Galway, UCC, and technological universities including TU Dublin and ATU. Leaving Certificate subjects that strengthen your application include Biology, Agricultural Science, Geography, and Mathematics. A postgraduate qualification (NFQ Level 9) in conservation biology, wildlife management, or a related field is increasingly valued, particularly given the competitive and specialised nature of this role. Practical experience gained through zoo internships, volunteering with conservation organisations, or work placements is highly regarded by employers. There is no statutory registration body for this occupation in Ireland, but familiarity with CITES permitting processes and international studbook systems such as ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System) is considered essential. Continuing professional development through bodies such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) is common among practitioners.
Most Zoo Registrars begin their careers in entry-level zoo or wildlife roles — such as keeper assistant, conservation intern, or data officer — building hands-on experience with animals and familiarity with record-keeping systems. Progression typically involves taking on greater responsibility for compliance, studbook coordination, and international liaison, often moving into a senior registrar or collection manager position. In Ireland, the limited number of zoological institutions means that career advancement may require gaining experience abroad, particularly with European zoos affiliated with EAZA. Experienced registrars may move into broader conservation management, species coordination, or senior curatorial roles at a national or international level.
AI-driven tools are beginning to assist Zoo Registrars by automating routine data entry, flagging data quality issues, and helping to identify patterns in animal health and breeding records across large datasets. Predictive analytics may support better decision-making in managed breeding programmes and population viability assessments. However, the core judgement involved in interpreting complex animal histories, ensuring legal compliance, and coordinating sensitive inter-institutional relationships remains firmly human. AI is likely to serve as a productivity aid rather than a replacement for the specialist knowledge and professional accountability that define this role.
→ Zoo Registrar (Current role)
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
Maintains animal records, studbooks, and international species programme data
Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork
Manages animal collection records and participates in EEP breeding programmes
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Records animal movements, health data, and coordinates species conservation programmes
Ashbourne, Co. Meath
Maintains records for resident animal collection including transfers and breeding
Dingle, Co. Kerry
Tracks aquatic animal inventories, health records, and species database submissions
Nationwide
Oversees wildlife records and supports national conservation data management
Newcastle, Co. Wicklow
Manages data on captive and wild bird populations for conservation programmes
Garristown, Co. Dublin
Records intake, treatment, and release data for rehabilitated marine mammals
Limerick City
Maintains animal records and welfare documentation for captive and rescued species
We don't know whether these employers currently have vacancies — always check their own website. And if there's somewhere you'd really love to work, it can be worth applying anyway, even without an open vacancy.
Our tools can help you with that:
We use functional cookies and — with your consent — cookies for preferences, statistics and marketing.