Working in zoos

FBBird

FBBird

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I hope to retire [from a non-animal related career] next August at the age of sixty. I have an unrealised dream of being a zoo keeper, and am going to try to make this a reality between sixty and seventy. If I can't get in [possibly via volunteering to start with] at the very few local collections, I thought I might look for short-term contracts furher afield; I have a very tolerant wife who doesn't mind me 'disappearing' for weeks at a time.
This post is an attempt to get any useful advice that is going, and perhaps even to idenify possible collections who may have short term vacancies.
Ideas, anybody?
 
Hmmm... if you are after positions in the UK, then you might get more responses from the UK boards?
 
Find me something in Oz, & we'll talk about it.
The whole project is so difficult anyway, I thought it best to put in the general forum, so as not to rule out any possibilities.
Anyone else got any ideas [or a job?].
 
FBBird said:
Find me something in Oz, & we'll talk about it.
The whole project is so difficult anyway, I thought it best to put in the general forum, so as not to rule out any possibilities.
Anyone else got any ideas [or a job?].
Click to expand...

Oh nice. So you are up for anything, anywhere? Work permits won't be an issue? Maybe not though, as there are a lot of international volunteers here in Oz. Have you heard of WWOOFing? Also, there are quite a few wildlife parks in Australia that you could probably line up a volunteer position with - there is a sticky thread on the Australia forum that lists all the zoos and wildlife parks in Australia, so it might just be a matter of emailing them as a start.

Good luck!
 
nanoboy said:
Oh nice. So you are up for anything, anywhere? Work permits won't be an issue? Maybe not though, as there are a lot of international volunteers here in Oz. Have you heard of WWOOFing? Also, there are quite a few wildlife parks in Australia that you could probably line up a volunteer position with - there is a sticky thread on the Australia forum that lists all the zoos and wildlife parks in Australia, so it might just be a matter of emailing them as a start.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
work permits only apply if one is working (i.e. earning a wage). Volunteering only requires the standard visitor visa (although I imagine there are longer versions of visas if one is contributing through volunteering or similar).
 
FBBird said:
I hope to retire [from a non-animal related career] next August at the age of sixty. I have an unrealised dream of being a zoo keeper, and am going to try to make this a reality between sixty and seventy. If I can't get in [possibly via volunteering to start with] at the very few local collections, I thought I might look for short-term contracts furher afield; I have a very tolerant wife who doesn't mind me 'disappearing' for weeks at a time.
This post is an attempt to get any useful advice that is going, and perhaps even to idenify possible collections who may have short term vacancies.
Ideas, anybody?
Click to expand...

I think that your goal is highly admirable. Most U.S. zoos have some kind of keeper volunteer program where people can be assistant keepers. Is there a similar situation set up in any U.K. or European zoo(s)?

Is doing wildlife rescue work like helping rehabilitate injured raptors or baby birds something that would be of interest? Are there organizations in the UK that do this kind of work?
 
I've done some volunteering in recent years; I'm now hoping to get paid, to supplement a small occupational pension which will not be enough to live on.
I would not rule out a bit more volunteer work, but I'm actually a safe pair of hands who could do with a job.
All suggestions so far are appreciated; can I have some more please?
 
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