Meet the Hopefield staff: Xico our Head of Exotics

We couldn’t be one of the best places to see animals in Essex without the dedication of our amazing staff, and we’re continuing our series of interviews with them so that you can all get to know them better. Today we’re shining the spotlight on Xico, our Senior Exotic Animal Caregiver responsible for the more unusual Hopefield residents!

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO AS A CHILD WHEN YOU GREW UP?

I always wanted to work with animals, and especially reptiles. Although I am Portuguese, I grew up in Poland, went to university in the UK, went back to Portugal in 2020 and then moved to the UK more permanently in 2021, but throughout all of that moving around I’ve always known I wanted to work with exotic animals, and specifically reptiles (although in recent years birds – the feathery type I hasten to add –  have really grown on me too!)

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT HOPEFIELD ANIMAL SANCTUARY?

When I decided to make the UK my home I moved here to Brentwood as I already had friends in the area. It was those friends who suggested I get in touch with Hopefield, so I started here as a volunteer in September 2021.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS SENIOR ANIMAL CAREGIVER, AND WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF XICO GENERALLY LOOKS LIKE…

I have very recently been promoted to Senior Animal Caregiver of the exotic area which I am really chuffed about, and with that comes extra responsibility when it comes to not only ensuring the animals, reptiles and birds in my care are looked after, but that my team of humans are all on board with what needs doing on a daily basis too. I like to spend as much time as I can thinking of ways that I can improve the exotic enclosures too. The kinds of animals that end up here in my care have usually been bought via the exotic pet trade and then discarded because their needs are too great for a domestic setting. Undomesticated animals need a lot of extra attention when it comes to their environment because they are often not in an environment natural to them, and it’s very hard to replicate that. We have everything from palm civets to iguanas, raccoons to foxes that have come to us because their very specific care requirements could not be met in a home environment. To try and bring as much enrichment as I can to the animals in my care means that you will often see me dragging big branches around the site and trying to create fun structures to keep them busy with. At the moment I am working on the African Grey aviary to make it more stimulating for them, and I love watching how my efforts make a difference.

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR HIGHLIGHTS OF WORKING FOR HOPEFIELD ANIMAL SANCTUARY?

As well as the amazing animals I get to hang out with on a daily basis, I have also met some great friends here too. I also really enjoy event days at the sanctuary which always bring an extra level of fun to the site and, of course, helping to make a difference to the animals, birds and reptiles I look after by raising funds.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MORE NOTABLE CHALLENGES OF WORKING FOR HOPEFIELD ANIMAL SANCTUARY?

Working with quite unpredictable exotics has had its share of mishaps. I’ve been beaten up by a golden pheasant who scratched me across the face, and also there was the time a tree frog startled me and I managed to smack my face really badly and as a consequence ended up with stitches. I don’t think I will ever live that one down…

When it comes to being in charge of the exotic area I would also have to mention how difficult it was for us as a sanctuary to have restrictions put on us regarding how many times per year we can have our exotic animals on display for the public to visit. We pick up the pieces of the exotic pet trade here and we are entirely funded by the public, and visitors are a big part of that. Unfortunately, because we decided not to apply for a zoo license which would mean accepting a number of caveats that did not align with our sanctuary ethos, we had to rearrange the sanctuary so that most of the animals in my care are not on display. It’s a shame as by people seeing these animals they would be able to learn why they don’t make good pets, but instead they are hidden away from the public except for on our Exotic Animal Weekends. The next one is coming up on 4th and 5th May, so make sure you come down and say hello! Some of them might even say hello back!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ANIMAL AT THE SANCTUARY?

I love all the animals in my care, but I do have a soft spot for Bobby the Conure who I found and nursed back to health. I also love Bertha the Boa, Pear the Partridge and Basil the Cockatoo, although as he has gotten older he has started being a bit unpredictable!

TELL US THREE THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE…

• I collect feathers and I keep them on my wall at home (pictured above). I have a few more to put up but having just moved into my new home I haven’t gotten round to framing them yet.

• I can do back flips! I haven’t tried in a while but I reckon I could still spring into action.

• For my uni dissertation I was supposed to work at a wolf rescue and rehabilitation centre in Portugal, but some terrible wild fires meant that it wasn’t possible. I ended up in Longleat instead working with hyenas. 

Thank you, Xico! And don’t forget if you want to come and visit the more exotic residents of Hopefield then you can only do so on our Exotic Animal Welfare Weekends, so do book early via this link to save disappointment!