Becoming the Rhino Keeper

But, as it so often does, life had other plans.

“It turns out getting a job at National Geographic might’ve been even harder than getting into vet school,” she said.

Petrunio’s career began at the Opelika-Auburn News, where she covered everything from local crime to city council meetings.

“After about six years [at the newspaper], I just sort of burned out,” she said. “That’s when I decided to go back to my animal roots.”

She quit her job, moved to Knoxville and attended a zoo job fair—a leap of faith that landed her a new career. Decades later, Petrunio now spends her days tending to black bears and cleaning up after 6,000-pound rhinos.

“I’m a rhino keeper at heart,” she said.

Petrunio has a portrait of Mondo, a rhinoceros she worked with during her first stint in Knoxville, tattooed on her upper arm.

“You can’t force animals to do anything. They have to want to work with you. Building that trust is the best part of the job.”

“But honestly, the love of my life was Dolly,” she said of a 56-year-old rhino that recently passed away. 

“When I first met her, she was still very much in ‘mom mode,’” Petrunio said. “Defensive and aloof. But as she aged, she softened. She loved scratches and attention—though she could be stubborn! She taught me patience, which is the number one trait you need as a zookeeper.”

Todd Steury ’22, associate dean of academic affairs and a professor of wildlife biology, said many Auburn students graduate with extensive experience handling animals of all sorts.   

“One of the courses that all of our wildlife ecology and management students are required to take is our summer practicum, which they take the summer between their junior and senior years at our field station in Andalusia,” Steury said. “They spend six weeks down there and they catch all kinds of things. They catch coyotes and raccoons and bobcats, bears, flying squirrels, snakes, all kinds of herps, turtles. That’s probably the class that has their best opportunity for handling animals.”

Reflecting on her education, Petrunio credits her wildlife science background for giving her the foundation she needs—not just in caring for animals, but for educating the public.

“A big part of our job is interacting with guests,” said Petrunio. “Helping them feel passionate about these animals and showing them the bigger picture of conservation. Having that ecology and natural history background helps me tell those stories.”

By Corey Ann Williams ’17