Animal Care Internship

Overall Summary

For all departments, tasks include:

• Cleaning: Scrubbing kennels and enclosures, washing dishes, cleaning and folding laundry, sweeping, mopping, raking, power washing, and more.
• Diet preparation: Cutting and weighing meats, produce, kibble, and specialty items including whole bodied prey.
• Public speaking: Interns will assist keeper and clinic staff in their daily public encounters and keeper talks.

Summary of Clinic

• Weighing, cleaning, and feeding of adult and baby raptors, songbirds, and small mammals.
• Observe and assist in medical treatment of species listed above. Treatment may include administering medications and fluids, cleaning wounds, applying wraps and splints, viewing x-rays, and more.
• Summer interns can expect frequent shifts feeding and caring for baby birds.
• Observing and understanding different methods and reasons behind humane euthanasia.
• Rabies vaccinated interns may assist staff in the feeding, cleaning, and treatment of raccoons, foxes, bats, skunks, and other rabies vector species.

Summary of Mammals

• Shadowing and assisting keepers as they feed, clean, train, and enrich our medium and large carnivores and dangerous animal collection.
• Learning and performing basic husbandry such as feeding and enriching small mammals including skunks, Patagonian cavies, North American River Otters, Virginia Opossum, wallabies, and squirrel. Depending on intern understanding and performance these tasks may be done without supervision.

Summary of Birds

• Shadowing and assisting keepers as they feed, clean, train, and enrich our eagles, and larger dangerous owls, hawks, and vultures.
• Learning and performing basic husbandry such as feeding and enriching small and habituated raptors. Depending on intern understanding and performance these tasks may be done without supervision.

Summary of Reptiles

• Shadowing and assisting keepers as they feed, clean, train, and enrich our snakes, lizards, tarantula, and more.
• Learning and performing basic husbandry such as feeding and enriching 3 different species of tortoise. Depending on intern understanding and performance these tasks may be done without supervision.

Summary of Food Production

• Assisting staff in the sorting of donated meats and produce and organizing items into fridges, trash, or to be composted.
• Performing care for breeding colonies of feeder rodents and quail. This includes cleaning enclosures, providing food, water, and enrichment.
• Optional opportunities to learn how to euthanize feeder rodents and butcher large game such as deer.

All internships include the potential for cross-training in the education department but this is not guaranteed and is based on the needs of the park. Intern schedules are subject to change based on the number of interns, patient load, and other needs of the park.

Our internships are competitive and we typically require all interns to work full-time, 40 hours per week, for 12 weeks. Interns that commit to this entire time frame are also eligible for rent-free housing at the on-site intern house. Housing is on a first come/first serve basis but the park may accept additional interns that choose to live off-site. Interns may be allowed to work less than full time to accommodate a paid job elsewhere if needed.

Requirements for all Internships:

• Must be at least 18 years of age to apply.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Currently enrolled/recently graduated from higher education in a related field.
• Able to do rigorous work in all weather conditions and perform tedious tasks for long periods of time.
• Must be able to work independently and cohesively with co-workers.
• Work safely, quickly, efficiently and calmly under stressful conditions and handle multiple responsibilities while following directions and protocols.
• Represent Wildlife Images professionally at all times including speaking in public.
• Able to lift and carry 50 lbs.

In order to apply, interns must submit a cover letter, resume, and three references. Please submit all required documents to internships@wildlifeimages.org.