Paradise Valley - Hayden Sanders, ops manager
Hayden Sanders is an operations manager.
Get to know more of the keepers featured in Wild
Vets by clicking here.
What animals do you work with?
Lions, plus Goats, Sheep, Pigs, Horses, Donkeys, Alpacas, Deer,
Thar, Wallabies, Waterfowl, Kea, Kakarikis, Trout and all our
staff.
How long have you worked as a
keeper?
I've been at the park for about six years.
Why did you become a keeper?
Not for the money.
What is you favorite animal?
Lions, but don't tell Cecil the Donkey.
Your funniest/most memorable animal
story?
Raising young lions is full of memorable moments. It's also
great to be able to share our lions with people and seeing people's
dreams of interacting with lions come true. I've seen many people
over the years that are just speechless when given the opportunity
to interact with our young lions.
What animal would you like to have in your
backyard?
It's always full of animals that we're raising. Recently there's
been the emu, lots of lambs, pigs, turkeys, ducks, swans, rabbits,
goats, donkey, miniature horses, and even lions.
What animal would you most like to see in the
wild?
Lions.
Which animal do you relate to the
most?
Cecil my donkey, but don't tell my goats.
What do you love most about your
job?
Being able to involve my kids in my job, and animals very rarely
have grumpy days.
What would you change about your
job?
Nothing.
If you could make one change to help save endangered
animals what would it be?
Exterminate all stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats, mice, and wild cats
from NZ.
Advice for future keepers?
Check and double check all padlocks!
Tell us an animal joke.
A vampire bat came flapping in from the night covered in fresh
blood and parked himself on the roof of the cave to get some sleep.
Pretty soon all the other bats smelled the blood and began hassling
him about where he got it.
He told them to go away and let him get some sleep but they
persisted until finally he gave in.
"OK, follow me" he said and flew out of the cave with hundreds of
bats behind him. Down through the valley they went, across a river
and into a forest full of trees. Finally he slowed down and all the
other bats excitedly milled around him.
"Now, do you see that tree over there?" he asked.
"Yes, Yes, Yes!" the bats all screamed in a frenzy.
"Good," said the bat, "Because I sure as hell didn't!"
