Primates (& More) Internship Program
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Company: Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
Address: 1426 W. 300 N.
Location: Albion, IN
Application Deadline: Available Year-round
Position: Full-time, Unpaid
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Description
Black Pine Animal Sanctuary’s “Primates (& More) Internship” program offers an intensively immersive opportunity to learn about Old World and New World monkeys, and is highlighted by the opportunity to be a primary caregiver to “Tarzan”, a resident adult chimpanzee. Training will begin one-on-one with experienced animal caregivers and will progress at a pace that is suitable for each individual in the program. Participants will work first with rhesus macaques, a lion-tailed macaque, baboon, Garnett’s greater bush baby, and cotton-top tamarins, as well as a variety of birds and some other small exotic mammals who reside in the same geographic portion of the sanctuary. Progression to chimpanzee care, and ultimately independent work opportunities, will be entirely dependent on work performance and the ability to adhere to established routines, safety protocols, and time management. Assessments will be made daily, even hourly, to help facilitate swift movement through the training process. This program will provide extensive opportunities to observe animal behaviors, to use a variety of operant training methods, and to learn the value of problem-solving on a daily basis. Extreme emphasis will be placed on safety at all times, as well as learning and understanding well-established, and highly effective, daily husbandry routines. This program will not provide or allow free contact with primates. Independent care of the chimpanzee is not inferred. Local (shared cost) rental apartment may be available, first come, first served.Responsibilities
Assignments will routinely include diet preparation, cleaning, animal enrichment, occasional delivery of medications, general housekeeping and record-keeping. Participants will be challenged to advance to the highest level of responsibility – nearly equal to that of the senior-most caregivers on the organization’s paid staff – a goal that is attainable if performance at each stage of training is exceptional! Those who perform at the “top” will enjoy the added opportunity to participate routinely in animal husbandry for many other taxa, including grazing animals, reptiles, and small and large carnivores, if they wish.Black Pine’s daily routine requires primate keepers to begin at 8:00 a.m. daily and to work throughout most of the morning, then return to the primate area again at between 3:30 and 5:00 p.m. Assignments mid-day may include observation, enrichment, or special projects, or could include husbandry in other areas of the sanctuary, if applicable. As required by the program of veterinary care, interns will also assist with routine capture/restraint and preventive care practices and procedures that may include vaccinations, TB tests, blood draws, first aid, etc. All ‘invasive’ veterinary procedures, and those required by law, will be supervised by a licensed veterinarian and will most likely occur on site. Some transports off site may be necessary, but are unpredictable. As the weeks progress, interns will also participate in the process of training others, which may include volunteers, other student interns, high school student job shadows, and others. Opportunities to educate the public will also be available.