Adults 18 and older
Interns will have the opportunity to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of these species as well as interacting with guests. Interns will learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, operant conditioning training, enrichment, animal restraint, and species management.
Duties:
Interns are supervised by animal care staff within the department, however, with some specific projects interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following direction. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding and special projects, including the creation of enrichment items and participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to a wide variety of animals ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Assignments and opportunities that are available to animal department interns are based on individual progress during the internship.
Available Animal Departments:
Animal Ambassadors Department: Invertebrates, lizards, snakes, turtles/tortoises, alligators, parrots, owls, hornbill, kestrel, bald eagle, kinkajous, prairie dogs, hedgehog, opossums, sugar gliders, and more.
Reptile & Amphibian Department: American alligators, black caiman, American crocodile, a variety of lizards, both venomous and non-venomous snakes, amphibians, turtles, and tortoises, including the Aldabra tortoise.
Qualifications:
Physical and Environmental:
This position involves a lot of walking and lifting. Time outdoors is expected, in all different weather conditions including heat, humidity, rain, or dust. It may also involve considerable physical exertion such as climbing, reaching, assuming awkward positions, repetitive motions, and lifting and/or moving of heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) on a regular basis. Due to the nature of this environment, interns will have some public contact requiring considerable communication skills.
To Apply:
Internship Dates and Deadline to Apply: