By Salam Fatayer Radio Milwaukee Published Dec 08, 2023 at 5:56 PM

They lift your spirits, prompt you to think, make you feel grateful, and inspire you to do more. They connect you to our community – in a positive way -- shining a spotlight on what is good about Milwaukee. These are "Uniquely Milwaukee" stories from Radio Milwaukee.

For "Odd Jobs” month with Radio Milwaukee's "Uniquely Milwaukee" series, we thought we’d go out with a little bit of excitement: staring down more than four tons of hippo.

Listen to "Day at the zoo with a zookeeper" on Spreaker.

OK, that’s admittedly an exaggeration, but for this episode we do find ourselves exploring the fascinating world of the Milwaukee County Zoo with one of its zookeepers, Ryan Taylor. This unique adventure offered us a rare glimpse into the daily routine of a dedicated zoo professional, making for a memorable day filled with surprises and up-close interactions with beloved animals.

You’ll hear as I go behind the scenes to the Keeper’s Hallway and meet the zoo’s two hippos: Happy and Patty. Later, Ryan shares his favorite story and sheds light on the art of building trust with the animals under his care. Listen to the episode using the player at the top of the article, and catch up on our full month of odd jobs using the links below.