Jez’s love of birds and words takes flight!

Jez Smith, a passionate member of Auckland Zoo’s Animal Experiences team and recently published author of ‘Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues’, was a curious little kid with a big love for animals and nature.

As a youngster, biking or walking with his dog, he explored every green and blue space he could find in his hometown of Leeds, North England, and frequently came across sick or injured animals to bring home to care for. But it was an uncle who kept birds that sparked in him a fascination for these remarkable winged creatures that have dominated his life and career to date!

“I loved visiting my uncle Ken’s garden, which was always a magical place to spend time in. I started keeping finches myself when I was about 12, but I think I really got hooked on birds observing kestrels nesting in a mill tower near my house. I’d lie for hours watching as the fledglings took their first flights,” says Jez, who to this day, continues to be mesmerised by birds in flight.

An avid reader, books – especially those about animals, also featured strongly alongside Jez’s active exploration of the natural world.

Jez went on to gain a BSc in Agricultural Science – a degree he says confirmed that he didn’t want to work in agriculture! Being drawn to birds, his first animal job was working in falconry for a private enterprise that also did a lot of conservation work. It was here Jez was introduced to and got to work with Gyr, Peregrine and Sker falcons (some of the world’s largest and fastest falcons) before life led him into the zoo world, and a rich 21 years at Colchester Zoo in Essex.

“I spent 12 years doing free-flight bird displays (similar to Auckland Zoo’s daily Flight School experience) with incredible species as diverse as tiny burrowing owls, merlins (small falcon) and parakeets through to ground hornbills, large falcons, hawks, kites, eagles, and vultures.

“I then took on a new position – becoming the UK’s first animal training coordinator. Back then training for husbandry was a new concept in the UK. My role was to help people see the benefits and value of training programmes and introduce them across the zoo – and as we did this, we slowly won staff over. A groundbreaking project I got to be involved with was training a female Southern white rhino in behaviours that made it easier for scientists to artificially inseminate her for a standing sedation. Through this, we achieved the first rhino calf in the UK being born via AI – also one of the first in the world. The techniques being trialled back then have advanced significantly and could yet help save the Northern white rhino from extinction,” says Jez.

While he enjoyed working with a great variety of mammal, reptile, and fish species – from big cats, primates, giraffe, and rhinoceros to Komodo dragons, sealions and stingrays, Jez was always drawn back to birds.

Migrating down under for a job at Auckland Zoo

Birds were Jez’s motivation to leave his job at the Zoological Society of London in 2019 (a job that followed his long stint at Colchester Zoo) and fly 12,000km south to New Zealand with his wife and three children to take up the role of lead trainer/presenter on our Animal Experiences team.

“I’d always wanted to come to New Zealand. In my first job where I got to fly some of the most incredible birds in the world, there was always a lot of talk about how versatile and courageous a little New Zealand falcon (the karearea) was, which kind of became a ‘Holy Grail’ for me.

“While I’ve not quite achieved my dream of working with a karearea yet, every day in my role I get to care for and connect our visitors with some of the most stunning birds of Aotearoa as well as avian species from other parts of the world.

Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues – a great Christmas gift

This year, Jez did get to realise another dream of his, to publish a children’s book – a fun way to combine his love of both birds and words and get more tamariki hooked on and inspired to care about and want to protect these “out of this world” animals!

‘Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues’ had been incubating with Jez for some time. After fully hatching over a year ago, it was accepted by Scholastic and published in September. An addictive rhyming read about both flying and flightless birds that very much reflects Jez personality and sense of humour, it also features stunning illustrations by renowned New Zealand illustrator Ned Barraud, who also has a great love for the natural world.

On sale now at the Zoo Shop in our front entry plaza as well as at our online shop, ‘Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues’ is a great affordable Christmas gift for young tamariki, that many a big kid will love too!  

“While the book is about a quest, it’s really about getting everyone to realise that all birds, no matter their size, abilities, or characteristics are each unique and special and deserving of our admiration, care and protection – which I think is how we should view all animals,” says Jez.