Zookeepers keep the smiles and wonder flowing at Scovill Zoo

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Every day before visitors arrive, Katy Huggins is hard at work.

"Every exhibit pretty much has to be cleaned every day," she said.

It's a dirty job, but the perks are nice. How many people can count a camel as one of their friends?

"I usually take care of our big hoof-stock animals like our camels and our zebras," Huggins said. "Finnegan our new Bactrian camel [is my favorite]."

Huggins is just one cog in a team of keepers who get the zoo ready each day, from the exotics that capture imaginations to the farm animals in the petting zoo who capture hearts.

"I love coming in and seeing [the baby goats'] faces," said fellow keeper Jennifer Wilkin. "Even if you're having a bad day, they make it worth it."

The zoo has been a Decatur staple for 55 years now. Today, it features 400 animals from across six different continents. Each keeper takes a section of the zoo and learns what makes each of their animals happy and fulfilled.

"Animals do what they want, so it's not always on my timetable," Huggins said. "It's on their timetable...they each have their own personality and it's fun learning the quirks of each one of them."

To learn more about the Scovill Zoo, click here.