One of our cats sits on the edge of her litter tray like this!
Giraffe kisses, an ape best mate and lions next door: Meet the handsome zoo keeper with the 'best job in the world' - as he shares what it's like being 'mum' to orphaned predators
Chad Staples, 42, is the boss of three of Australia's most loved wild life parks The zoo boss got into the industry at 17, he had to clean cages and make food Now he hand-raises lions and koalas, poses with apes and watches births
By BELINDA CLEARY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 09:50 AEDT, 12 December 2021 | UPDATED: 11:02 AEDT, 12 December 2021
Most people avoid taking work home with them but zoo keeper Chad Staples lives for any spare moments he can spend with his beloved animals.
Not that the 42-year-old is ever far away from them, he lives at Mogo Wildlife Park in New South Wales, and shares a bedroom wall with a pride of boisterous lions.
'It is pretty special to be woken up in the night by a lion roaring in the room next door. You go from shocked, working out what has woken you up, to smiling ear to ear every time,' the father-of-four told FEMAIL.
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Chad Staples (pictured) with his 'adopted daughter' Maji who he hand raised from birth after the death of her mother
Chad says his kids love the dingo puppies and always ask if he can take them to school for show and tell
Chad, who is the director of Mogo Wildlife Park, Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park and the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park said he has always loved animals but didn't realise he could have a job revolving around them until he left school.
When he was 17 he was lucky enough to be given a chance to work as a keeper at Featherdale animal park.
'I had a few jobs before this one and I just didn't like them,' he said, explaining he even started a chef apprenticeship before joining the park.
'I don't regret those other jobs, the cooking skills I picked up were especially useful when I was doing animal meal prep,' he said.
He has now been working with the company for 25 years, a job which has given him the opportunity to watch different animals take their first steps and even hand raise a few at home.
Chad started at the bottom, cleaning enclosures and working as a keeper before becoming an educator and then being promoted to director, he is now the director of three parks and is looking to add more to his portfolio.
Chad is now the director of three zoos - a job which means he can throw time behind putting the animals on social media
The zoo keeper loves posing with his friends and says he could rub heads with Maji all day
How does Mogo Wildlife Park focus on conservation?
Mogo wildlife park was developed in the late 1980s. It opened to the public in 1989. Mogo Wildlife Park supports a large collection of endangered and exotic animal species with an aim of education and conservation.
The park hopes people who visit will take home a new respect for the animals and do what they can to ensure their habitats are not destroyed.
They also run a breeding program which will allow them to help repopulate areas of the wild if needed.
This role means he can focus more on the jobs he loves - like showing people at home behind-the-scenes moments and being present for births.
'That's not to say I don't help feed animals or clean enclosures but it happens a lot less now,' he said.
He is also in a position where he can adopt babies who have been rejected by their mothers or whose mothers have died.
His most recent 'adoptee', a lioness called Maji, will soon celebrate her first birthday. Chad is 'the only mum' she has ever known after hers died giving birth.
'My youngest daughter tells everyone Maji is her little sister,' he laughed, explaining the animals are adopted by the whole family.
Chad says the longer he spends with the animals the more he loves it and notices the special gifts they give him
Chad has four 'human children' who consider the lion cub their little sister - here she is before she grew into her 'big cat' title
He said the cute moments with his animal friends never get old - and he has a blessed life
'For the first six months of her life we barely spent one moment apart,' he said.
'She has been hand raised from birth, it is amazing ho something born from tragedy can be so life changing,' he said.
Chad's posted videos of Maji on social media - she is now well on her way to being a big cat, weighing in at 80kg and struggling with the idea that Chad can no longer keep up.
'I am going to cry when we can't have these moments anymore,' he said alongside a video of her licking his head - a giant paw over his face.
Chad started at Featherdale Wildlife Park - which gave him a huge appreciation for native animals - like this tree kangaroo
He is pictured here with a Quokka, a small animal native to Western Australia and the most famous residents of Rottnest Island near Perth
He also spoke about a koala called Archer who was rejected by his experienced mother.
Seven years on the koala will still climb down his tree for a cuddle and 'prefers to be carried around the park by Chad than to sit in his tree'.
'He just wants to be held by me,' he said of the koala - who is known to bite some of the other keepers.
The recent birth of giraffe, Matope, has also touched the animal lover who says the longer he works in the industry the more special the moments become.
'I recognise how rare and special these things are now, and I notice the little moments,' he explained.
Chad has a home at each of the wildlife parks so he can be 'wherever he is most needed' but spends most of his time at Mogo at the moment
Chad said this loving greeting for a day-old giraffe who decided he was a safe person to say hello too almost made him cry
Chad hanging out with some of his ape friends at one of the wildlife parks where he serves as director
When giraffes are born they are quickly mobile and very inquisitive - as it takes a few days for their mothers to teach them they are a prey item and to to be cautious.
'I was checking in on her mum the day after she was born and Matope came over to me, she was born as tall as me, and just started kissing my head.
'It's like she is saying 'Mum says you are okay'. I am so lucky to have the opportunity for these experiences - to be kissed by a one day old giraffe.
'After more than 20 years doing this these are the moments that make me want to fall to pieces and cry,' he said.
Pictured here with Maji - who is now 80kilos but still thinks she is the right size for Chad's lap
He says the young lioness gives the best hugs and doesn't understand she is quickly outgrowing him as a playmate
But there are also a great-many sad moments when you work with animals as well.
'Most of the animals we have here have a shorter life span than us - so we watch them come into the world and we watch them die.
'Saying goodbye can be hard.'
Chad, who considers himself a private person, became the poster-boy for animal conservation in 2019 when fires threatened the east coast of Australia.
He famously protected the Mogo park earning him the respect of many, since then he has kept in the spotlight by showing off the beautiful moments he has with animals every day.
Chad has worked with animals for 25 years after he was given a chance as a junior keeper at 17
Chad revealed apes are some of his favourite animals - alongside big cats, Australian natives and birds
'These are the day to day things guests don't get to see, births, beautiful behind the scenes moments.
'Not everyone can get to Africa in their lifetime, or travel to South America to see these animals in the wild,' he said.
Also explaining his love for conservation, claiming the more people see these animals and understand them the more likely they will change their lifestyle to help support the wild.
Chad, who doesn't have his kids at the zoo full time, says his job requires his attention every day of the year.
Chad had to look after dozens of animals at home when his park was threatened by fire
Giraffes are seen stranded in an open field as bushfire moves in on Mogo Zoo – as an army of 15 brave zookeepers stand guard with hoses and sprinklers to save the animals (pictured)
The downside to it is that he can't focus as much attention on other areas of his life - and struggles to go on holidays.
But he says the trade off is worth it.
'My kids are going to realise what an incredible childhood they have had, growing up in a zoo with all of these animals,' he said.
You can follow Chad and his animal friends on Instagram.
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Amazing images show 'singing' lions, gallivanting rhinos and a jaw-dropping tiger
PUBLISHED: 13:00 AEDT, 12 December 2021 | UPDATED: 13:00 AEDT, 12 December 2021
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Take a good look at these pictures because the photographer behind them is worried that the subjects might not be around for much longer. The stunning images of animals including lions, rhinos and tigers were snapped by Simon Needham, who said their very existence is under threat. Simon, who is originally from Leeds, UK, has taken most of these epic pictures in sanctuaries and reserves in Africa dedicated to protecting these majestic animals.
Simon snapped this powerful image of a lion named Coda in the Glen Garriff Conservation, a lion sanctuary in South Africa. He said: 'Wildlife populations are decreasing at a staggering rate, and if we are not careful, the only place we will be able to see some of these animals is in books or zoos.'
This incredibly sweet scene of two cubs resting was captured by Simon in South Africa's Kruger National Park. On Instagram, he named the picture 'Before They Were Kings'.
A playful young rhino sprints across the grass at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa. The sanctuary took in the 250-lb creature after its mother was killed by poachers, which Simon said is a 'sad but common occurrence in Africa'.
Simon said: 'It's not easy to get that close to lions, and when taking pictures, you also need patience, an eye for lighting and to hit upon the right moment when a lion either has a wonderful expression or is doing some kind of interesting action.'
'I am especially keen on photographing animals that are endangered and that, combined with their sheer beauty and power, means lions definitely draw me to them,' said Simon.
'I wonder what song they were singing?' asked Simon when he posted this to Instagram.
Simon said: 'Photographing wildlife can be a challenge because finding the animals often requires a lot of effort and time to even get to the point of actually taking that special picture.' Pictured: A lion called Tonga in the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary.
Mane attraction: 'A good hair day!' was Simon's Instagram caption for this amazing picture of a lion at the Glen Garriff Conservation sanctuary.
This image shows a caracal – a medium-sized wildcat – that was taken at the Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. On posting the photo to Instagram, Simon posed the question: 'Grumpy or dangerous or both?'
And this beautiful lioness was captured on camera at the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary. Simon admits that taking images of lions can be time-consuming as they 'really don't do a whole lot through the day!'
Simon had an unforgettable first encounter with a lion at the Glen Garriff Conservation lion sanctuary, where this shot was snapped. He said: 'I was behind a secure fence, but it was still a shock when the lion jumped up and growled. I've become a little more confident around them now but I always put safety first!'
This is another incredible image Simon snapped at the Garriff Conservation sanctuary. He said: 'This lion was photographed at night with a flash, which caught its pupils open wide at the time.'
What are the most challenging animals to shoot? Rhinos, according to Simon. He said: 'It's mainly because it's difficult to capture their moods.' This one was pictured at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary.
This 'rare' scene captured by Simon shows a group of rhinos walking back to the safety of the Care for Wild Rhino sanctuary for the night after grazing in nearby rough lands. Simon noted on Instagram that 14 armed men guarded them.
In this jaw-dropping shot of a tiger at the Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, Simon pointed out that its raspy tongue 'is designed to help strip feathers, fur and meat from prey'.
A wild greater kudu, a type of antelope, shows off his amazing horns at the Care for Wild Rhino sanctuary. The spiraling horns on male greater kudus can grow as long as six feet (1.8m).
Simon also takes breathtaking landscape shots, such as this one of the Zion National Park in Utah. Simon asks: 'Can you see the bus?'
Fab photo Celia
Took this pic while having lunch at Zion National Park in Utah.
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