Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/60293
ne Careers my office the zoo- keepers brandi baitchman and dan mclaughlin, senior zookeepers, franklin park zoo's tropical forest Where they're from: Rockport. What they do: Take care of many different animals, rang- ing from Panamanian golden frogs to gorillas. Why gorillas? "Gorillas are incredible animals. They're smart, kind, and caring," Baitchman says. "Gorillas have many human-like qualities, like laughter and a strong sense of family. They are really amazing to work with." Adds McLaughlin, "After studying evolution in college, I had the most interest in working with primates." Best part of the job: For Baitchman, it's greeting the gorillas in the morning. "The gorillas are always happy to see us, she says. "They let out a loud 'gorilla purr.'" For McLaughlin, it's "getting to watch the baby animals, especially Kimani and Kambiri (both western lowland gorillas), grow up." A surprising fact about gorillas: Gorilla nose prints are unique to each gorilla. Just like a hu- man's fingerprints, one can identify a gorilla by his nose print. zoonew- england.org. —L.L. 38 nshoremag.com May/June 2012 photograph by bob o'connor