The zoo curator is one of just two staff members keeping the expansive grounds and animals in line at the city’s furriest tourist attraction.

We ask Ms Ehsman the big questions in today’s inaugural column sneaking a peek at the humans of Wagga.

What's the best part of your working day?

Feeding and caring for all the animals.

Do you have a favourite animal at the zoo or are they like kids, where you have to pretend you like them all equally?

The donkeys - Forrest can be quite cheeky during feeding time.

Are there any aspects of your job that people wouldn't realise you do?

There are only two people that work at the zoo and we feed and care for the animals as well as all the gardening and general maintenance of the zoo.

Do you think the animals know who you are? Do they remember you when you go away on holidays?

Of course they do, because I’m the lady that brings the food!

How does the zoo end up with the animals?

The zoo acquires animals from various sources including buying like we did with Forrest the donkey.

We can swap animals with other zoos but we breed most of the animals at the zoo and we take donated animals if we can accommodate them.

Are there any animals that aren't usually kept as pets that you believe would be better than a dog or a cat?

No, I’m a big cat and dog lover. Although a pet monkey would be interesting.

Which animals are the crowd favourites?

The children’s favourite would be the guinea pigs and their castle. The donkeys, Jenny and Forrest, are also popular.

Do you ever have to deal with cranky animals? What's the best thing to do to placate them?

All the animals are generally well-behaved. The wombat, however, can be a cranky old man on those cold winter mornings and some food bribery is required so we can clean his enclosure.

If you could get any animal in the world to the Botanic Gardens, what would you pick?

A lion or a cheetah or any other big cat as I’ve always had an interest in working with them.