Katie takes care of the basics with her animals, such as cleaning and feeding them. However, her job also involves creating an enriching environment for the primates.

“We keep their day exciting and interesting,” she said. “We do observations, keeping track of social changes in the group.

“We also do keeper talks and perform maintenance on the exhibits.”

Champions of the State like Katie are working to preserve endangered species, including gorillas, which are facing declining numbers in the wild due to habitat loss, civil war and poaching.

“They desperately need our help,” she said. “Our job is to educate our local community about these incredible animals so they can identify them and they can understand the need to preserve these animals for future generations.”