VALDOSTA STATE MAGAZINE 65 Bogart the camel … Charlie the alligator … Theodore and Rosie the black bears. Tayler Royal considers all the animals at Chehaw Park in Albany, Georgia, to be her friends. She enjoys discovering their unique quirks and personalities. Juliet the flamingo is playful once she warms up to a person. Dubyah, the southern black rhino who came from a zoo in Texas, cannot resist pinecones for a snack or the chance to roll around in mud. Derone the blue-winged kookaburra has a penchant for judgmental looks. Royal, 25, has been visiting the animals at Chehaw since she was a child, but now she cares for them daily as one of five primary keepers at a zoo that showcases 238 specimens representing more than 125 different species. No matter the weather conditions — even during freeze warnings, heatwaves, hurricanes, and tornadoes — Royal and her colleagues are at the zoo, ensuring the animals receive food, medical treatment, and enrichment, which are activities that stimulate the animals and enhance their quality of life. “I knew I wanted to work with animals since I was 4 years old,” said Royal, a Pelham, Georgia, native. “I have a very distinct memory of someone coming to my preschool and doing a presentation with a flying squirrel. I remember it like it was yesterday. Ever since then, I’ve been all about it.” What prepared Royal for her life as a zookeeper was her time at Valdosta State University. Initially, she was undecided in her major, not knowing how she would find a career working with animals, other than becoming a veterinarian.