Kenji

"earth"

- Excellent job, Avatar. You should think about working with animals for a living.

Kenji was the zookeeper and proprietor of the Ba Sing Se Zoo. He had an older brother who also resided in Ba Sing Se.

History
During his search for Appa, Avatar Aang visited the Ba Sing Se Zoo. Though he did not find Appa, he did notice the run-down state of the zoo and the unfitness of the enclosures for the animals. Kenji, the proprietor of the zoo, explained to Aang that he and his business were trapped in a cycle whereby the cultural administrators of the city, the Dai Li, would not finance his zoo because no one visited for the fact that it lacked funding. Kenji, devoid of hope, told Aang how dearly he wished that he could escape his predicament and bring the zoo back to its former glory. Aang suggested moving the animals outside to an open area just outside the city, and he began to herd the animals out of Ba Sing Se.

Meanwhile, Kenji frantically tried to get the guards to open the gate, who refused until they saw the oncoming stampede. Once the gates were open, Aang reached the other side and hopped on his air scooter again. Using earthbending, he created a wall around the animals. He continued to earthbend paths, secluded areas, and habitat accessories. As soon as he finished, the children and their families came flocking to the new zoo. Kenji gratefully thanked Aang for his help, and told him that he should have a job with animals. However, the zoo animals were not the only creatures that followed the sound of the whistle; many cats, dogs, and other pets were also inside the animal pens. Seeing this, Kenji remarked that maybe it was better if the Avatar stuck to saving people.

Relatives

 * Organ grinder (older brother)