ZOOKEEPER INTERN PROGRAM
The Zookeeper Intern Program at The Oakland Zoo offers the opportunity to gain valuable skills, on-the-job training and experience for college students who are interested in pursuing a career as a zookeeper, as well as students interested in veterinary medicine. The program is designed to increase understanding and awareness of the unique and valuable contributions that are made by zoos to conservation. All internship positions are unpaid.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Students who wish to participate in the Zoo Keeper Intern Program must:
- Be willing to commit to a minimum 12-week internship (minimum, 3 full days per week; maximum, 5 days per week). Internships are limited to one term only. Minimum of 288 hours and a maximum of 360 hours.
- Have completed at least two (2) years of college at an accredited institution.
- Have an overall grade point average of 2.0 ("C") or higher.
- Submit a completed application package for consideration. This includes the following items:
- Zookeeper Intern Application;
- Cover letter expressing what you hope to gain by participating in this internship, your career goals and where you learned about the intern program;
- Current resume;
- Two letters of recommendation written by a teacher or an employer. These letters may be sent separately but must be received by the application deadline;
- An unofficial copy of the applicant’s most recent transcripts for all colleges and universities attended.
To download an application, click here.
The completed application package is to be submitted to:
The Oakland Zoo
Zookeeper Intern Program
P.O. Box 5238
Oakland, CA 94605
Incomplete applications and those received after the deadline will not be considered.
| Internship Dates | Deadline Dates |
|---|---|
| Summer (May 15 - August 31) | March 15 |
| Fall (September 1 - December 31) | July 15 |
| Winter (January 1 - March 31) | November 15 |
SELECTION PROCESS
Upon receipt of the completed application package, the information will be sent to managers in the Animal Management Department. Applicants will be contacted to arrange for an interview, either in person (if the applicant lives in the San Francisco Bay Area) or by telephone. During the interview, the Volunteer Coordinators will gather information pertaining to experience, career interests, education, starting and ending dates, uniform sizes and will answer any questions the applicant may have.
Candidates who are selected for internships will receive an acceptance letter and/or phone call at least one month before the start of the internship. Once a student is accepted for a Zookeeper Internship, a $35.00 program fee is required to hold the student’s place in the program. The fee is payable prior to the start of the internship. Final acceptance is dependent upon a background check.
All housing and transportation costs are the responsibility of the intern.
THE PROGRAM
The Oakland Zoo divides its Animal Management Department into 10 different areas, or “Strings”, as we like to call them. Each individual String is able to accommodate one intern per season. All interns are supervised by experienced, full-time zookeepers who serve as mentors. The mentor provides training, direction and information and is available to answer questions.
Internships are available in the following areas, or "Strings":
| String #1 | Giraffe, Eland, Dama Gazelle, Egyptian Geese, African Crowned Crane, Griffon Vulture, Lilford Crane |
| String #2 | Lions, Tigers, Camels, Tule Elk, Bison |
| String #3 | Sun Bear, Sika Deer, Muntjac, Lesser Flamingos, African Spoonbills, Siamangs, Bobcat |
| String #4 | Chimpanzees*, Hamadryas Baboons, White-Handed Gibbons, Squirrel Monkeys, Wreathed Hornbills |
| String #5 | African Elephants |
| String #6 | North American River Otters, Bats (Malayan Flying Foxes and Island Flying Foxes) |
| String #7 | Kookaburras, Long-billed Crellas, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Princess Parrots, Goats, Sheep, Pot Bellied Pigs, Domestic Rabbits |
| String #8 | Vervet Monkeys, Spotted Hyenas, Warthogs, Meerkats, Tammar Wallaby, Emus, Walleroos |
| String #9 | Chestnut Mandibled Toucan, Cotton-Topped Tamarins, Blue & Gold Macaws, Taiwan Beauty Snake, Nosy Be Panther Chameleon, Yellow Anaconda, Cattle egret, Lilac Breasted Roller, Pied Crow, hadad ibis, Sacred ibis, Helmedted Guineafowl, Spurwing Lapwing, White-Faced Whistling Duck, Orange & Red Bishops, Hoopoes, Snowy-Headed Robin chat, White-vented Bulbul, Hottentot Teal, Hammerkop, Red-billed Hornbill, Blue Bellied Roller, Fischer's Lovebird, Tavata Golden Weaver, Tambourine Dove, Speckled Pigeon, White-Throated Monitor, Great Plated and African Plated Lizard, Royal Python, African Spurred Tortoise, Grants Zebra. |
| String #10 | Aldabra Tortoise, American Alligators, Florida Red-Bellied Turtles, Chuckwalla, Black Tree Monitor, Emerald Tree Boa, Red-Tailed Boa, Leaf-Tailed Geckos, Gila Monsters, Standings Day Gecko, Spotted Turtles, Golden Mantellas, Desert Grassland Whiptail, Panamanian Golden Frogs, Poison Dart Frogs, Desert Spiny Lizard, Peninsula Cooters, Green Anoles, Green Tree Frogs, Invertebrates |
| Education | Cockatoo, Pionus Parrot, Amazon Parrot, Great Horned Owl, Black Kite, Corn Snake, Pacific Gopher Snake, Calif. King Snake, Royal Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-Tongued Skink, Leopard Gecko, Hermann’s Tortoise, Whites Tree Frog, Eastern Box Turtle, African Burrowing Bullfrog, Tenrec, Pygmy Hedgehog, Chinchilla, Giant Kangaroo Rat, Domestic Rabbits, Tarantulas, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Millipede |
* Interns on String #4 will not work with the chimpanzees.
Under the supervision and direction of the assigned zookeeper, each intern will learn animal husbandry skills, assist in maintaining exhibit areas, observe and participate in operant conditioning, participate in the application of animal enrichment and interact with the visiting public. Exhibit Maintenance:Interns will learn the proper techniques for cleaning and disinfecting animal exhibits and holding areas. They will learn how to properly use disinfectants, cleaning solutions and high-pressure hoses. Animal Husbandry: Interns will learn proper and safe handling and restraint techniques used when necessary for medical examination, routine husbandry procedures and animal transport. They will also become familiar with capture and restraint equipment. They will learn about positive reinforcement training and stress reduction. Enrichment: Interns will learn the value of both food and non-food enrichment as a way to encourage natural behaviors and to end stereotypic behaviors. Food Preparation: Interns will become familiar with the nutritional needs of the animals under their care and will learn proper food preparation to meet those needs. Population Management: Interns will learn the rationale and methods of using birth control on zoo animals. They will become familiar with population management, SSP, TAGs, ISIS, etc. Animal Observations: Interns will learn about animals’ normal behaviors, postures, use of space, interactions with other animals in the exhibit, etc., and learn the basics of recording behavioral observations. Conservation: Interns will learn how modern zoos support and encourage conservation. They will learn about habitat loss, over-population and the many in situ projects supported by The Oakland Zoo. Intern Project: Each intern is required to create an enrichment project for one of the animals with which he or she works. Interns will use many of the skills they learn during the course of the internship. Behavioral observations will be used to determine what changes need to be made to the animals’ routine. Each intern will do research to develop the proposed project, then build or create the enrichment for the animal(s). Additional behavioral observations will document the animals’ reaction to the project and whether or not it was a success. Before the completion of the internship, each intern must write a paper detailing the development and outcome of his or her project. Since Zookeeper Internship assignments involve the use of tools, equipment and interaction with live animals, interns must be able to take directions and pay careful attention to procedures and established protocols. They must be able to follow instructions and carry out their responsibilities in a safe and careful manner in order to avoid injury to themselves, to employees, to visitors, and to the animals. Interns must be physically able to perform the cleaning, feeding and general husbandry tasks for the animals under their care in all weather conditions. They must be able to lift up to 50 pounds regularly. Weekend and holiday work may be required, as the animals require care 7 days a week. Interns must be able to work well as part of a team, as well as able to work with minimal supervision. Internships are learning experiences and interns must be able to accept constructive criticism and adjust to changes in the daily routine. The Oakland Zoo expects all Zookeeper Interns to have a basic, positive interest in animals and their safety and welfare, to be able to get along with others and to be neat, reliable and professional.
