Our Team

David Manning

Founder and Director of Animal Ark

Animal Ark has a long history, established by David in the UK over 40 years ago as a specialist media consultancy advising on, supplying, training and handling all sorts of creatures for film, television and photography.

Having worked with animals and nature all his life David’s passion has remained reptiles. He has written four pet care books, numerous articles and appeared on television and DVDs talking about wildlife issues.

David has a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and in 2012 was awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship. This enabled him to travel abroad to gain extra experience in his area of expertise and return with great benefits for both Animal Ark and the wider Australian community. Read more about David’s research trip to South Africa, Botswana and the USA Churchill Fellowship Report.

On David’s return from his Churchill Fellowship he developed Animal Ark’s Snake Avoidance Training for Dogs, having seen the highly effective rattlesnake aversion training in the USA. His reptile expertise and extensive work with all breeds of dog during his filming career gave David the perfect skill set for this specialist training. So working with dogs and snakes comes pretty naturally to David and our focus is always the welfare of both the dogs and our native wildlife, including our much maligned, and potentially very dangerous, snakes. Years later we have worked with thousands of dogs, working and pet, and hundreds of different breeds and cross breeds.

In 2014 David and Animal Ark were featured on Channel 7’s Today Tonight program. Watch it now on YouTube.

David Manning

• Cert IV T&E Training and Assessment.
• Fellow ZSL London, Churchill Fellowship 2012.
• AMSA Oiled Wildlife Training – Modules 1-3.
• Registered Wildlife Rehabilitator
• Animal Consultants and Trainers Association (ACTA) (UK) 1984 – 2006
• Author of multiple pet care books

Jenny Seymour

Director of Animal Ark

Jenny has been involved with all creatures great and small her entire life, growing up raising dogs, cats, chickens and even bees in the UK. She has a passion for the great outdoors, and the natural environment is her happy place, be it bush, beach, garden or mountain.

From a background in natural history publishing to working with Animal Ark in the UK with trained, and not so trained, dogs, cats and a vast array of other critters has provided her with invaluable experience and expertise.

David and Jenny established Animal Ark here in Australia back in 2006 – now almost 20 years ago!

With a first class Bachelor of Science Honours degree from Nottingham University and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management from Edith Cowan University, Jenny continues her love of wildlife and research with Animal Ark in WA.

Jenny volunteers maintaining urban bushland with her local Friends Group, and sits on various animal welfare committees.

Kurt

Trainer & Operations Lead

Kurt is currently involved in delivering Animal Ark’s training fauna and snake handling and relocation courses, workshops, incursions and snake avoidance training for dogs. Kurt is also a lead trainer for Animal Ark’s partner company Bait Aversion.

Kurt grew up in New Zealand helping and working on his family’s deer farm which helped to cement his love of animals and conservation.

Kurt has his Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is currently studying part time for a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Wildlife Biology. These give him the skills to deliver our current courses with enthusiasm and knowledge, bringing his own teaching style and understanding of current conservation and management techniques.

Kurt travels around WA for Animal Ark, has proved to be a valuable asset for us in all parts of the business, and is a very enthusiastic and capable trainer. He is a family man with 3 children and rescue pup Vesta.

Shannon

Wildlife Education Assistant & Lead Snake Avoidance Trainer

Shannon is from Perth WA but spent much of her childhood camping, hiking, diving, and fishing. This led to an interest in wildlife photography and conservation of our natural world.

She expanded her interests by completing a double major in Biological Sciences and Conservation & Wildlife Biology, plus a minor in Plant Biology.

She then achieved her Masters in Wildlife Health and Conservation, during which time she volunteered in multiple roles – including three years at WA Wildlife.

Her studies solidified her passion for nature and education, leading to her taking up roles travelling throughout WA as a wildlife keeper, educator, dog trainer and assistant fauna handling instructor with Animal Ark.

Shannon is a kind, fun-loving individual who has owned, rescued, or caught everything – from fish and axolotls, through to horses, geckos and roos.

Currently, however, she is the proud owner of a friendly, affectionate, long-haired Dachshund named Digby Güdest Dewg.

Shannon brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to her varied role at Animal Ark. Shannon will be going on maternity leave from September 2025!

Emily

Office Administrator & Scheduling

Emily works at Animal Ark as Office Administrator and Scheduling but does occasionally leave the safety of the air-conditioning to assist on training courses.

Emily has always had a love for Western Australia’s unique flora and fauna, growing up near a bush reserve where no bug, bird or puddle escaped her curiosity. Her favourite part of the job is seeing the same appreciation and passion for the natural world ignited in others. Getting to meet everyone’s doggies is also a bonus.

When not at work Emily is busy caring for her two lovely children and a Chihuahua cross. Her other passion is for the arts and any left over time is spent with a paintbrush in hand.

Jake

Lead Trainer

Jake grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth WA spending much of his childhood camping and exploring the broad west coast from north to south. Always with pet dogs but now reptiles as well.

Jake has a passion for teaching and now delivers his presenting skills for all of Animal Ark’s courses. Previously FIFO in mining with explosives he now does FIFO with snakes! Both hazards he handles with care and compassion.

Jake and Georgia are the proud owners of a beautiful brindle coat rescue pup called Jarrah who is a regular visitor to the Animal Ark base and a new addition to the family is currently in utero!

Georgia

Operations Manager

Georgia has spent her whole life surrounded by animals, from reptiles to marsupials, spending her childhood and youth camping and hiking through the Southwest of WA.

She has had a role in Animal Ark for over 10 years assisting on courses and drawing on her bachelor’s degree in production and design to develop products and logos.

Georgia has an innate passion for academia and returned to study completing her Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours from Notre Dame University. By trade, and part-time, Georgia is a physiotherapist, but her continued passion remains with the management of Animal Ark.

Georgia and Jake are the proud owners of a beautiful brindle coat rescue pup called Jarrah who is a regular visitor to the Animal Ark base and a new addition to the family is currently in utero!

Jamie

Wildlife Education Assistant

Jamie grew up exploring outback Australia with his family. He has always had an interest in animals and has become an incredible wildlife photographer over the years.

Many of the photos we use on our website and social media are with HUGE thanks to Jamie’s many terabytes of wildlife photos from over the last 15-20 years.

Having worked as a mechanic for over 15 years Jamie made the brave leap into the wildlife education and training world joining us at Animal Ark.

Jamie travels around WA for Animal Ark, and has already proved to be a valuable asset for us with an expansive knowledge of our native Australian wildlife, photographer skills and more!

Jordy

Wildlife Education Assistant

Jordy is a truly dedicated employee – he splits his time working for Animal Ark as well as at Caversham Wildlife Park. Inspired to work with wildlife by Sir David Attenborough’s TV programmes, Jordy assists us with Snake and Fauna handler training as well as with our Snake Avoidance training for dogs.

He keeps a keen eye on, and tends to the needs not only of our reptiles and amphibians but also our customers, whether human or canine.

Jordy has a Cert II Animal Studies from Murdoch TAFE and Cert III Captive Animals from Perth Zoo. Bindi his Jack Russell x keeps him busy when he’s not caring for the creatures of the Animal Ark menagerie.

As well as a long history volunteering at WA Wildlife, his passions when he has any spare time are circus classes, camping and the beach.

Jack

Wildlife Education Assistant & Lead Snake Avoidance Trainer

Jack grew up in the Perth Hills surrounded by animals and the outdoors – sparking a passion in understanding animal behaviour.

His journey started back in 2012 as a retail trade baker, a trade that helped shape his strong work ethic and discipline — qualities he carries into every role.

Today, Jack channels that drive into Animal Ark’s wildlife education and training services, including leading our highly regarded snake avoidance training.

Jack’s goal is to equip both students and dogs with knowledge and tools to stay safe, while enjoying everything our beautiful country has to offer.

Jarrah

Animal Ark's Mascot

Animal Ark's Animals

Some of our hardworking & well loved animals

• Fluffy – Dugite
• Bob – Bobtail Lizard
• Wilma – Woma Python
• Monty – Woma Python
• Oli – Olive Python
• Tigger – Tiger Snake
• Bash – Tiger Snake
• Sleepy – Northern Blue Tongued Lizard
• Office Guy – Dugite
• Dumb & Dumber – Children’s Pythons
• Homer – Children’s Python
• Big Boy – Mulga
• Sonic – Western Spiny Tailed Skink
• and many more…