Facility
Utica Zoo
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
The Utica Zoo offers full-time (40 hrs/week) Animal Care Department Summer Internships each year.
The internship begins at the end of May and lasts for approximately 9 weeks (generally May 27th-August 1st). Interns will work under the direct supervision of the animal care staff and assist in all aspects of their daily activities.
This is a hands on internship. Duties will include cleaning, feeding, record keeping, enrichment, diet preparation, exhibit maintenance/construction, as well as assisting during veterinary procedures and education programming as instructed. This work is physically demanding. Interns must be able to lift and carry a minimum of 50lbs as well as be prepared to work in various weather and environmental conditions. Direct physical contact with animals is often limited. Interns will be required to do some public speaking and will have direct contact with visitors.
Intern positions are available in all animal areas and the animal commissary. Interns will be assigned to only one area for the duration of their internship, but may have brief opportunities to experience different aspects of all areas through veterinary procedures or as other situations arise.
All interns are required to attend onsite classes conducted by Zoo Staff on various aspects of animal care including animal and keeper health, capture and restraint, enrichment and animal training, and other topics.
The internship is unpaid.
Animal Area Concentrations: (Animal areas are subject to change based on the needs of the facility)
*Children’s Zoo: Barn owl, beaver, Bennett’s wallaby and emu. Domestic livestock including alpaca, chickens, domestic donkey, Jacob sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, pot-bellied pigs, Flemish giant rabbits and zebu
*Tropical Core: Argentine black and white tegu, California sea lions, cotton top tamarins, golden lion tamarins, Mexican spider monkeys, red panda, white-handed gibbons and red fox.
*Lions and Reptiles: African crested porcupines, African lions, bald eagle, Burmese pythons, Chinese alligators, Gila monsters, golden-headed lion tamarin, kinkajou, leopard tortoise, prehensile-tailed skink, rhinoceros iguanas, Ruppell’s Griffon vulture, white-naped cranes, additional non-venomous reptiles and invertebrates.
*Hoofstock and Trail: Arctic fox, serval, striped hyena, ring-tailed lemurs, Canada lynx, Chinese muntjac, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Mexican wolves, ostrich, peafowl, snowy owls, Trans-Caspian urial Bactrian camels and blackbuck antelope.
*Commissary/Vet Services: Diet preparation, nutrition review, quarantine (new) animal care, assisting with minor veterinary services.
*Education: Interns assist with summer camp, daily animal presentations, zoomobile programs, birthday parties and care of the education animal collection. Interaction with the public and interpretation of zoo exhibits are heavily emphasized.
Education and Pre-requisites
*Must be enrolled in or have graduated from a college level zoology, wildlife, environmental science, ecology, or any science education or interpretation program
*Must be able to work in any weather conditions.
*Must be able to lift 50lbs.
*Proof of negative tuberculin test required (must be within 6 months of start date). Tetanus vaccination recommended.
Compensation and benefits
All internships are UNPAID. Interns are expected to provide their own housing and transportation (public transportation is limited in the area immediately around the zoo). However some housing is available through Mohawk Valley Community College at special rates. Please indicate if you are interested at the time of application.
Application instructions
Resumes with appropriate cover letters should be sent via email to Nikki Sheehan, nikki.sheehan@uticazoo.org. The cover letter should include your areas of interest, goals and what you can offer the zoo. Statement of area interest does not guarantee placement in that area. Interns will be placed in accordance with the needs of the zoo animal collection.