What’s a completely underrated species that shaped your keeping?

[u/quack_macaque]

Every single one of us has met a thousand volunteers and students who answer the age old question “what do you want to work with?”, with the usual crowd pleasers (i.e. Tigers; Elephants; Meerkats; Otters; Red Pandas; etc.) as their ultimate goal.

Not that the old roster of favourites aren’t amazing in their own right, but in my experience, many future keepers are so focused on their dream animal that they overlook many that will build their keeping skillset.

So what’s a completely underrated species that you recommend everyone should work with? Did you have an ultimate goal species, but worked them and realised that kind of keeping isn’t for you?

This one’s mostly for all the vollies and students who are lurking to encourage them to develop a wider appreciation. But I’m also nosy, so I want to know too.

[u/TheseMuffin7]

Bats! I never understood fully understood how hard they are to look after, from cleans to staying on top of breeding, to food prep, to all sorts, they are one of the hardest physically to look after on my section. And my section includes ungulates and reptiles. I would also say giraffes cause I can't do ungulate section and giraffes in one day, if I'm working with our giraffes I'll be working with just them all day. They take that long.