Facility
Utica Zoo
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
Utica Zoo is currently at a very exciting stage as we prepare to apply for accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). If you are considering a Summer Internship, NOW IS THE TIME to be part of our momentous pursuit!
Animal care interns assist with routine animal husbandry of over 200+ animals. Interns will work under the direct supervision of the animal care staff and assist in all aspects of their daily activities.
This internship is an applied learning experience, wherein participants will learn all aspects of zookeeping through hands-on activities. Interns will learn the essentials of cleaning, feeding, record keeping, enrichment, diet preparation, exhibit maintenance/construction, as well as assisting during veterinary procedures and education programming as instructed. 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 zoo-wide projects 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.
Note: Access to the staff veterinarian is limited; therefore, if your goal is to work with a veterinarian, this may not be the internship for you. This internship is designed as a zoo keeping program. You will learn the inter-workings of a small zoo and how the animals are cared for.
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, Flemish giant rabbits and zebu, assist with daily sea lion presentations
Tropical Core: California sea lions, cotton top tamarins, golden lion tamarins, Mexican spider monkeys, red panda, white-handed gibbons and red fox, assist with daily sea lion presentations
Lions and Reptiles: African crested porcupines, African lions, bald eagle, Burmese pythons, Chinese alligators, Gila monsters, golden-headed lion tamarin, Trans-Caspian urial, 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 and Bactrian camels
Education: Interns assist daily care of program ambassador animals. This is a diverse collection including several species of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals (from African millipedes to a spotted genet.). Some interaction with the public and interpretation of zoo exhibits.
Commissary: Diet preparation, maintaining stock and inventory, nutrition review, some general recordkeeping and data entry, and quarantine (new) animal care.
Vet Services/Registrar: This position works as an assistant to the Staff Vet Technician and Registrar. In assisting Vet Services, you will help with minor veterinary services (lab tests, routine preventative care, medical rounds, etc.) and to assist if requested when the Veterinarian is onsite. In assisting the role of Registrar, you will mostly perform general and medical recordkeeping and data entry of the zoo’s current and archival animal records. More and more the role of registrar is being recognized as essential to the organization and meticulous daily and archival recordings of what occurs in animals’ lives. Recordkeeping serves not only to document animal care and welfare but is of great importance for how a zoo moves forward.
Animal Projects: Students will work with the Animal Projects Manager creating or maintaining essential animal needs or exhibit improvements. Animal keepers are continually called upon to create wooden nest boxes, set up and implement misting systems, alter exhibit features or any number of projects that enhance animals’ lives to help keepers’ ability to provide the best welfare standards. This position may be combined with the commissary duties dependent on the number of students and most effective distribution of duties.
Education and Pre-requisites
Qualifications for all internships: Must be enrolled in or have graduated from a college level zoology, wildlife, environmental science, ecology, or any science education or interpretation program.
Requirements: Summer session internships require commitment to 40 hrs/week for approximately 9 weeks. The internship begins May 30th and ends August 2nd. Interns may extend their experience beyond these dates if requested but must be able to commit to this time period. Proof of negative tuberculin test required (must be within 6 months of start date). Tetanus vaccination recommended. Must be able to work in any weather conditions. Must be able to lift 50lbs.
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 housing is available through Mohawk Valley Community College at special rates. Please indicate if you are interested at the time of application.
Application instructions
Application instructions: Application to a program requires both a resume and appropriate cover letter. Cover letter should include area or areas of interest to the applicant*. These documents should be sent via email to Pearl Yusuf, Director of Animal Operations at pearl.yusuf@uticazoo.org or by fax at 315-738-0475. Please submit resume and cover letter for our summer session by March 16, 2018 at 5 pm EST.
*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.