A zoo in England is hiring a seagull deterrent worker who has to wear a giant bird costume. It says the ad 'broke the internet' and received hundreds of applications.
- A zoo in England is hiring a seagull deterrent worker to wear a giant bird costume and scare gulls.
- Blackpool Zoo said the application has "broken the internet," receiving hundreds of candidates.
Seagulls, beware — there's a new big bird in town.
After a British zoo posted a seagull deterrent job that requires workers to wear a giant bird costume to scare gulls away, the application went viral, receiving hundreds of enthusiastic candidates.
Blackpool Zoo's publicity agency told Insider the position has "broken the internet," leading to over 200 applications — and still counting — from around the world. Now, they're moving forward in the hiring process and hoping to welcome new members to the team in the next few weeks.
The position requires an engaging and friendly disposition, the zoo said.
"They must be outgoing as, if this week is anything to go by, they will be approached for pictures by a lot of people. Lively, energetic, fun, and, most importantly, an excellent flapper, will be top of the essentials list during interviews," the zoo added.
Blackpool Zoo, located less than three miles from the coast of the Irish Sea, created the seagull deterrent position after it faced continual problems with seagulls stealing food from visitors and certain fish-loving animals, such as penguins, pelicans, and sea lions.
The zoo tried eagle-shaped kites and "large statues of various birds of prey" to scare gulls away but to no avail.
One season, Blackpool even used the zoo's trained birds of prey to scare away the seagulls, during which they "patrolled the skies around the zoo trying to discourage them."
Now, they're hoping the seagull deterrent team can do the job.
"The costume is something the seagulls won't have seen before, and as intelligent birds, they will naturally not like it," the zoo said. "The costume also makes a sound when the person is moving, which is something else the seagulls don't like."
Applications are still open, but it sounds like there's a lot of competition for the job. Bird enthusiasts are encouraged to apply.