Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency covers the process of determining housing that meets the behavioural and physical requirements of a particular animal species and includes the preparation, cleaning and routine maintenance required to maintain the hygiene and appearance of an enclosure or exhibit.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

This unit is applicable to wildlife animal keepers or carers who are expected to perform tasks under supervision.

In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, all units of competency in the ACM10 Animal Care and Management Training Package have the requirement for animals to be handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for animals so that stress and discomfort is minimised.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Prepare housing appropriate to a particular species

1.1. Behavioural and physical requirements  of the species being housed are identified.

1.2. Animal enclosures  appropriate for specific species are identified.

1.3. Enclosure furniture  requirements for the species are identified and assessed .

1.4. Animal housing is prepared for occupation in accordance with species -specific requirements  and facility policies and procedures.

2. Implement animal housing maintenance routines

2.1. Activities to maintain enclosure in compliance with workplace and legislative requirements are identified and ranked as daily, weekly or longer term tasks.

2.2. Procedures to ensure the wellbeing of animals during maintenance activities are identified and followed.

2.3. Enclosure and exhibit security  and safety procedures are followed in accordance with occupational health and safety  (OHS ) requirements and facility policies and procedures.

2.4. Aesthetic qualities and furniture of enclosures and exhibits are maintained in accordance with responsibility level and maintenance task schedule.

2.5. Areas requiring horticultural or maintenance attention  are identified and reported to supervisor.

2.6. Responsibility levels for horticultural or maintenance tasks and work schedule timelines are established in consultation with supervisor.

3. Maintain enclosure hygiene and appearance

3.1. Cleaning regime  for a section is prepared and implemented and regularly reviewed.

3.2. Enclosures, including equipment and furniture, are cleaned with minimum disturbance to animals and in accordance with OHS requirements and facility hygiene standards.

3.3. Pests  are detected and reported to supervisor.

3.4. Assistance is provided to implement and manage environmentally safe and effective pest control procedures.

3.5. Tools and equipment  are maintained in accordance with facility policies and procedures and manufacturers' requirements.

3.6. Enclosure and exhibit maintenance status is reported and records updated.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• complete minor repairs
• employ safe, humane and environmentally responsible organisational systems and procedures when working with animals
• identify horticultural and maintenance tasks, establish responsibility levels and work schedule timelines in consultation with supervisor
• implement facility policies and procedures
• maintain the highest standards of hygiene and infection control at all times to reduce the risk of infection and cross-infection
• maintain records related to enclosure and exhibit maintenance status
• literacy skills to read and follow facility policies and procedures, including OHS and waste management; follow sequenced written instructions; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks
• oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the facility, including questioning techniques, active listening and consulting with supervisors
• numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine workplace measures
• interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities
• problem-solving skills to use available resources and prioritise daily tasks
• use safe manual handling techniques and/or equipment
• use safe waste handling and disposal procedures.

Required knowledge 

• educational and interpretive functions of enclosures
• pest identification and associated risks and controls
• principles and protocols for enclosure or exhibit design, including aesthetics, function and effects of introduced fixtures and features
• principles of enclosure landscaping and horticulture, including knowledge of exhibit plants and weeds
• principles of animal welfare and ethics
• relevant facility policies and procedures, including OHS, animal welfare, ethics, hygiene standards and other industry guidelines
• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and codes of practice, including OHS and animal welfare
• safe animal handling techniques and procedures with respect to 'shifting' animals if and when required for enclosure maintenance
• safe work practices
• security control principles
• specialist enclosures for different animals
• workplace hygiene standards, disinfectants, cleaning agents, cleaning techniques and cleaning equipment and materials and associated OHS.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

• identify animal housing requirements in consultation with others and prepare enclosure for occupation
• maintain animal housing, including security, hygiene, pest control and appearance
• update enclosure and exhibit maintenance records.

The skills and knowledge required to prepare and maintain animal housing must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a captive animal workplace with access to a range of animal housing and temporary housing as well as the appropriate equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.

Method of assessment 

To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and where possible, over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
• third-party evidence
• workplace documentation
• portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Behavioural and physical requirements  may include:

• behavioural requirements:

• environments that replicate normal feeding behaviour
• environments that provide appropriate stimulation for the animals
• normal activity patterns:

• crepuscular
• diurnal
• nocturnal

• physical requirements:

• appropriate space/features based on whether animal is arboreal, terrestrial or aquatic
• appropriate substrate
• temperature and humidity regimes.

Animal enclosures  may include:

• aquaria
• aviaries
• cages
• habitat boxes
• paddocks
• walk through or closed off enclosures.

Enclosure furniture  requirements may include:

• shading, shelters, walkways/paths and behavioural enrichment features:

• branches, logs, rocks and vines
• landscaping
• vegetation
• water features.

Considerations when assessing  the impact of furniture should include:

• furniture hardiness, attractiveness and compatibility
• keeper/carer access
• the obstruction of animal movement or view
• the safety of new materials (e.g. toxicity or splintering)
• wear and tear.

Species -specific requirements  may consider:

• housing options:

• caged
• fully enclosed
• indoor
• moated
• naturalistic
• outdoor

• social options:

• solitary
• pairs
• single sexed groups
• polyandrous/polygamous groups
• mixed species.

Enclosure security  may involve:

• checking for pests within animal housing or enclosures
• checking there are no unauthorised people in animal enclosures
• checking that locks and slides are in good working order
• considering compatibility of species and breeds within housing
• ensuring animals are safe and secure in their housing
• identifying any animal housing faults that may result in escape
• maintaining structures in good order.

OHS  risks when handling animals may include:

• animal bites, envenomation, kicks, scratches and crush injuries if working in with the animal or animal has potential to reach keeper through barriers
• biological hazardous waste and sharps disposal
• electrical when using water in close vicinity of electrical outlets
• handling of chemicals and medicines
• gas leakage
• inhalation of aerosol particles
• intraocular contamination
• manual handling, including carrying, lifting and shifting
• moving parts of machinery or equipment
• noise, including machinery and some animals
• release of infective agents (animal and human)
• repetitive strain injury (e.g. raking and scrubbing)
• slippery or uneven work surfaces
• zoonoses.

Maintenance attention  may be classified by:

• major urgent repairs:

• broken windows
• faulty locks/slides
• landscaping concerns
• repairs to holes in wire, roof or doors

• minor repairs:

• repairing signs or taps
• replacing plants.

Cleaning regime  may include:

• behavioural needs of animals and their impact on the cleaning routine
• chemicals that cannot be used with certain animals
• equipment and cleaning agents to be used
• importance of odour for some species
• safety of self and animals
• sequence of cleaning events
• time to perform the cleaning tasks.

Pests  may include:

• cockroaches, spiders, ants and flying insects
• predators and parasites
• rats and mice.

Tools and equipment  may include:

• blowers
• cleaning agents
• mowers
• pressure cleaners
• rakes and spades
• secateurs
• wheelbarrows
• whipper snippers.

Unit sector 

Captive animals

Competency field 

Co-requisite units