Meet Crocworld’s newest member
When he is not at work, Ryne continues to seek out his feathered friends when hiking and birding, and enjoys just generally being outdoors with friends and family.
The newest member of Crocworld Conservation Center, Ryne Ferguson has a passion for animals, which was instilled by his grandmother at a very young age. This has followed Ryne throughout his life and into his current career as Crocworld Conservation Centre’s curator, a position he took up in February 2020.
“I gained so much knowledge from my many years of working with animals at Johannesburg Zoo and knew it was a career I wanted to pursue. I’ve had such a great start at Crocworld, which is such a fantastic establishment, and I have been made to feel part of the Crocworld family from day one,” said the 32-year-old.
After school, Ryne went on to become an aviculturist and animal behaviourist, working at Johannesburg Zoo in more formal employment, after which he went on to Montecasino Bird Gardens. He was then drawn to the KZN Midlands, taking up a position as reserve manager and conservation project manager at The KZN Crane Foundation, before starting at Crocworld.
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During this time, Ryne also sat on the sub-committee for the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE) in the United States of America as a representative of the African continent. This position allowed him to travel overseas while obtaining certificates in Animal Care and Management and Animal Behaviour and Training.
He oversees the running of the bird department at Crocworld, ensuring all birds within the collection are cared for with the correct husbandry and diets.
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His duties also include in-house, ongoing training for all bird department staff, ensuring the correct feed is ordered and stored, as well as overseeing the breeding of birds and various conservation projects. Even when he’s not at work, Ryne continues to seek out his feathered friends when hiking and birding, and enjoys just generally being outdoors with friends and family.
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