Alistair Keen, the head keeper at Birdland, Bourton-On-The-Water works hard to look after his flappy penguin friends and talks of his exciting experiences as a penguin keeper.
Bourton-On-The-Water,
known for its tourist atmosphere and beautiful old village houses, is a perfect place to take the children
with plenty of places to eat and shops to visit. A 2-minute walk away from the
town center is Birdland, a friendly location which holds and breeds endangered
species.
Alistair
Keen has been working at Birdland for 19 years at the end of this month and is
passionate about the penguins he looks after as well as the other birds on
site.
“I wouldn’t
want to do anything else” Keen explained, but how exactly did he get his job?
Growing up in Winchcombe, a small village in the heart of the Cotswold’s, Keen
grew up exploring fields and hills and grew a love for wildlife which was
especially influenced by his grandparents. At 11 years old, he won a wildlife
quiz and years on, after seeing an advert in Gloucestershire’s echo, he works
with wildlife every day.
When on the
job, Keen feeds birds, cleans their habitats as well as giving daily talks. He expressed
how all the penguins have different personalities and looking after them is
eventful, mentioning how one time, a penguin broke his wrist!
“Technically
I’m not supposed to, but I do have favorites” Keen said humorously, admitting
that he loves Spike and Charlotte. He taught Charlotte how to swim which for
him was one of the best experiences of his life and Spike has given him great
experiences such as being on tv many times. Because of his job, he’s been on shows
such as The weakest link which has given him some amazing memories.
Although
Birdland is closed at the moment due to the pandemic, they hold online events
such as talks and live feeding sessions. They’re hoping to open again on December
3rd, depending on the governments updated advice.
Learn more about Birdland on their website here https://www.birdland.co.uk/visit/find-birdland/
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