Job Description: Animal Husbandry Intern

Company: Safari West
Location: Santa Rosa, California (United States)
Job Category: Internships
Job Type: Internship
Salary: {dict_notSpecified}

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Animal Husbandry Intern

The mission of Safari West is to actively promote conservation and environmental education while sharing knowledge that empowers each individual to think sustainably about their role in the environment and wildlife conservation. Our research and internship opportunities are one of the ways we make this possible; we are able to advance interest and knowledge in wildlife and assist in creating advocates for the environment. Safari West is able to provide a competitive, convenient and educational experience that allows students and academic institutions to gain valuable skills and knowledge in a variety of fields. We are happy to be able to open our doors to qualified and passionate students trying to gain the necessary skills for a career in wildlife.

Safari West offers a dynamic, educational and innovative internship for students. You will have the opportunity to work in a unique environment with a wide variety of species. Students and recent graduates can apply for any of our varied internship opportunities. We currently offer internships in animal husbandry, animal behavior and events. Each internship opportunity has been specifically designed to provide the most enriching educational experience possible. Students interested in these opportunities are encouraged to review the outline and requirements for each program before they inquire.

Internship Application Requirements:

Applicants must be 18 years of age. All internships are unpaid. Currently, we are unable to offer housing accommodations, therefore housing and transportation are at the cost and responsibility of the intern. The intern must have reliable means to get to Safari West consistently before committing.

There are two internship periods available for the Animal Husbandry and Observational Animal Behavior internships: summer and winter. Events internships are only offered during the summer. Completed internships are based off of fulfillment of designated hour and month requirements as well as completion of a final project/paper. Official start and end dates are flexible and will be determined by the applicants’ schedule.

Summer internships: June – September; Application deadline – April 1st

Winter internships: November – February; Application deadline – September 1st

Please send a completed application (link on website), resume and short cover letter, highlighting relevant experience, to Erika Defer at edefer@safariwest.com. Not all applicants will be offered an internship position due to the high volume of qualified candidates who apply. We strongly encourage applicants who did not receive an internship position to re-apply. All applicants will be notified of our decision by email or phone.

Safari West Animal Husbandry Internship

The animal husbandry internship has several strings to choose from with a variety of taxa. Interns will be given the ability to work with African hoofstock, birds, small mammals, carnivores or a mixture of these animals. This program offers the opportunity for students to acquire the knowledge and skills to care for exotic animals and provide progressive welfare in accordance with ZAA regulations. Students will learn the different needs of various animals, understand the process and importance of behavioral training and appreciate the effort that goes into husbandry on a 400-acre facility. Students will develop the fundamental skills needed to look after captive exotics while challenging them to explore, develop and apply ways to enrich the animals’ lives. Academic credit may be available upon request.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Preparation, distribution and understanding of diets based on species and individual animals
Cleaning of enclosures, night houses, bomas (outdoor shelters), pens, barns, and general work areas (vet office, storage rooms, etc.)
Safe movement around animals and strong attentiveness at all times
Understanding of proper welfare and record keeping
Construction and implementation of enrichment
General exhibit maintenance

Internship Requirements

Availability: Completion of 3 months with a consistent schedule of a minimum of 2 days per week (full 8 hour days) – minimum 200 hours
Fitness requirement: Intern must be able to lift/carry/maneuver a minimum of 50lbs as well as to be able to safely and efficiently navigate rough terrain
Collaborative requirement: Intern must be able to work as part of a team, take direction well and be able to interact with employees and guests in a professional manner
Self-motivated: Interns will be guided through the program but must be internally driven; they will be expected, after some time, to understand their daily responsibilities and be able to start their work without relying directly on orders
Completion of Final Project

Final Project

During the internship students will be expected to develop a specified project that has been approved by the animal manager and internship coordinator. This project can focus on any aspect that applies to animal husbandry. Students will be expected to write a paper describing their project results.

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