DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - June is National Zoo Appreciation Month. When most people think of the zoo, they picture the animals; the roars, the chirps, the rustling in the trees. But behind each call of the wild is someone who makes sure every animal is cared for, fed, and thriving. At Decatur’s Scovill Zoo, that someone is Mindy Weaver.
"It is a really cool job!" says Mindy Weaver, the Scovill Zoo Zookeeper.
Weaver has spent over 25 years walking the grounds of the Scovill Zoo. Her keys jingle as she opens gates, her boots are dusted from a day’s work, and her walkie-talkie is always at the ready. More than just a zookeeper, Mindy is a living link to the zoo’s past.
"Every day is just different. There’s something fun happening every day," Weaver says, smiling as she pets one of the zoo’s wolves through a gate.
Weaver's story at the zoo started just like many others: as a kid, marveling at the animals.
While growing up in Decatur, she always thought she wanted to be a veterinarian. Weaver took her first job working with animals at the Scovill Zoo in visitor services, operating the carousel and driving the train. But over time, her love for animals led her to the other side of the fence.
She then decided to grow her studies and practices in Zookeeping.
Now, decades later, she feeds lunch to the penguins, and her afternoons often include visits with Sam, the Galápagos tortoise who’s lived at the zoo since 1985 — long before Weaver held the keys to Sam's habitat.
"Sam the tortoise has been here since I was a kid! They genuinely know me. They know my voice."
For Weaver, every day is a dream she has ached for as long as she can remember.
She adds that most people don't realize Zookeeping is more than just feeding animals — it’s about understanding them. Weaver and her team closely observe animal behavior, administer medications when needed, and make sure each habitat mimics nature as closely as possible.
"There’s a lot to zookeeping that you don’t see," she says. "We have to really study their behavior and make sure they’re doing well."
Of course, the job isn’t always glamorous. There are long days of unloading heavy hay, shoveling, and preparing food. But for Weaver, it’s all worth it.
"When we see the animals happy, when we see the hard work pay off, it’s just a great feeling."
Scovill Zoo first opened in 1967. Since then, it’s grown into a cherished part of the Decatur community — and Mindy has been there for much of that journey.
"People always ask me, ‘Are you still at the zoo?’ And I say, ‘Yeah, I’m still there.’"
In a world that moves fast and changes often, Mindy Weaver has remained a steady presence, caring for the animals she grew up visiting, and inspiring the next generation to do the same.
"I just think I would never do anything else."
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