Behind the Scenes: Discover how Peoria Zoo trains its animals

PEORIA ( 25News Now )—Last month, the Peoria Zoo received an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation —a distinction that sets it apart from the top zoos and aquariums in the world.

There are 134 AZA-accredited zoos worldwide, and one is right here in River City. We met with the Peoria zoo keepers to learn what it takes to receive that accreditation.

Emy and Vivian, the giraffes at Peoria Zoo, are trained to become comfortable in confined spaces.

"She'll get them to move through the container, and part of it is getting them to move into it," said Jonathan Rold, Peoria Zoo's Animal Curator. "This contraption we call it the tamer; in some places, you'll hear it be referred to as a squeeze, but you can move that animal into it, you can close the doors to close them, and that way we can have safe access."

Access allows Emy and Vivian's caretakers to examine and weigh their hooves. Motivated by food, Rold notes that the duo quickly achieves their training goals.

Every training session gets recorded as a part of their standard for AZA zoo upkeep.

"We're looking at these animals, their health, their overall well-being constantly every day, and we're recording things, we take all of that data, and we can look at trends we can compare it to other animals of the same species at other zoos, and that allows us to be better equipped to provide better for what these animals need," said Rold.

The zoo has seven keepers who work with groups of animals every day.

Lizzie the lion's training focuses on building trust with her keeper and learning the commands they use to examine her health regularly.

"The whole reason we do a training session is because she is a lion, and we can't get hands on her, so she is trained to stand up on the fence so we can see her belly. She opens her mouth so we can see her teeth, and she knows if I kneel, she has to lay down," said Regan Slonecker, an animal keeper at the Peoria Zoo.

Rold adds the bond the animals have with their keepers is essential in keeping their animals healthy.

"It's beyond just, 'Oh look, I can get this animal to do this,' it's for a reason; all of those things that we're asking those animals to do, it is making their lives better because we can see what's happening. But it's also mentally stimulating for her," said Rold.