By Callum Ludwig
Healesville Sanctuary is farewelling a stalwart of the sanctuary after 42 years.
Carla Srb is moving on from the team, having held many different roles in her time.
Ms Srb said she first started out as a zookeeper.
“I’ve also held roles such as Species Management Officer, Curator of Life Sciences, Acting Manager of Education, Acting Life Sciences Manager and now Life Sciences Manager of the Support Team,” she said.
“Before working at working at Healesville Sanctuary, I was doing a science degree and working as a barmaid, followed by a switchboard operator for a locum service. The year from when I finished university and started at Healesville Sanctuary, I was a relief milker helping a farmer and went in and did the milking twice a day.”
Ms Srb’s first day at the Sanctuary was 21 February 1983 and will finish her final shift on Friday 28 June this year.
Ms Srb said she has always had many animals and cared for wildlife and initially wanted to be a vet but didn’t get into vet science.
“If you really want to pursue a career with animals, it might not pay as much as some other types of jobs, but you will be living your dream,” she said.
“ I have wonderful memories of the fun times, the people and my favourite animals that I worked with, I love the fact that I never begrudged a day coming to work and still get excited driving through the gate.”
Ms Srb has enjoyed some wonderful experiences in her time at Healesville Sanctuary, including taking the opportunity to do a zookeeper exchange with Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and develop her skills in species management and her notable achievements include helping to maintain the Tasmanian Devil studbook when the facial tumour disease was diagnosed and writing a five-year regional species plan for birds in all zoos in Australia.
She has also been a contributor and proofing editor for the Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping newsletter.
Ms Srb said it’s now time to slow down and smell the roses.
“I want to pursue some of my interests that I was unable to do whilst working such as travel, renovating my house and catching up for coffee with old friends,” she said.
“I hope that Healesville Sanctuary keeps going the way they are, their commitment to conservation and welfare of animals is second to none,”
“It has been a joy and privilege to work at Healesville Sanctuary, the friendships I’ve made and will retain, the fun of working with like-minded people and of course, our beautiful native wildlife.”
