Hiring Organization: Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education

Date Posted: 2011-07-21

Position Description: CARE has embarked on an enrichment program for our baboons undergoing rehabilitation. The program is in its infancy and requires additional ideas, planning and implementation to continue its development and ensure our baboons, especially those who are unreleasable, have quality of life.

We are seeking individuals to co-ordinate the Enrichment Program, develop it and ensure its continuity.

The successful candidate will be required to;

1) Participate in the usual volunteer program as and when needed with general jobs caring for the orphan baby baboons; preparing/administering food items, milk bottles, cleaning and 'baby sitting' orphans. However, the successful candidate will have hours scheduled specifically to design, implement and where possible evaluate the Enrichment Program. 2) Create 'Enrichment Schedules' for all the baboons who will recieve enrichment. 3) Liase with the volunteer co-ordinator for scheduling their own time and that of other volunteers for specific enrichment duties 4) Recruit help from the voluteers to Design, Implement and Evaluate enrichment ideas/toys 5) Communicate with the centre manager whom will authorise new designs (this is important with regards to safety of the baboons and the intern). 6) Communicate with the centre manager to organise times to be escorted with enrichment items; due to the wild baboons the intern (especially females) will not be permitted to administer enrichment without an escort. 7) Present their work at monthly informal 'meetings', through either short powerpoint displays or written work - this is to a) inform the permanant staff of what is being achieved, b) educate other volunteers about the importance of enrichment 8) Provide photographs and write short updates for the CARE facebook page.

The enrichment items created will usually be made with everyday items which are found around the sanctuary and must not pose any hazard to the baboons; plastic tuning, wire mesh, cardboard, plastic bottles, old blankets etc.

Qualifications/Experience: ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Batchelor or Masters Degree in a related field.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE:

Experience with making enrichment for animals within a zoo, sanctuary or laboratory setting

Experience writing up reports and documenting their work.

ESSENTIAL PERSONAL SKILLS:

The successful candidate MUST be flexible, easy going, a good communicator, organised, adaptable, have a positive outlook, optimistic, well balanced and have no mental or physical health problems which would interfer with their work and that of the rest of the team. The individual must be self funding, self efficient and be prepared to use their initiative.

ITEMS TO BRING:

A laptop - the centre does have an old PC, however this is unreliable. This will be used to write up findings, create schedules etc. A camera - to take photos in order to document their work and provide updates for the Facebook Page.

PREFERRED:

Good IT skills (good understanding of Microsoft Office; Word and Excel). Experience living in a developing country, working within a team, working in stressful environments. Experience with primates.

Salary/funding: The intern must pay to cover their food and accomodation at the centre and must cover all their travel costs, medical and travel insurance etc. COST - US$450 per week (this is the equivalent of £285 per week). We charge this for the first 8 weeks then it is discounted by 20% = $360 per week.

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging): Meals and accomodation provided. Intern will prepare their own breakfast and lunch, evening meal is taken in turns to prepare.

  • The Volunteer Accommodation*

Volunteer accomodation is shared and simple. Our luxury is the fact there are usually hot showers, usually electric and trips to town once a week to buy groceries (only space for one or two volunteers to join so it is not guarenteed you can go).

CARE is in the middle of a private nature reserve, so there a wild animals EVERYWHERE! From wild baboons, elephants and kudu to snakes (some poisonous), scorpions, lizards and a whole range of creepy crawlies!) but you are living in the African bush and get to experience breathtaking and wonderful wildlife encounters! Considering we are in the bush, the accomodation isn't bad and we will provide you with a proper bed with a nice matress and a mosquito net/tent to keep you safe from any bugs or other house friends at night.

Volunteers often take it in turns to cook and the meals are usually very good.

Please bear in mind you are living in the bush, so encountering rats, snakes, bugs and more should be expected.

Term of Appointment: Ideally 3 months

Application Deadline: Ongoing, we need this post to be covered all year round

Comments: Educational and site seeing trips to various places like the Kruger National Park, cheetah/lion experiences and more can be arranged at an extra cost when you are staying with us. For these trips pick up and return back to the sanctuary can be arranged.

You can see videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPm55pgptkE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcJcC2w1WXM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Bml18xgP8

CARE is the largest baboon rehabilitation centre world wide, we recieve no government or corporate sponsors. All interns must complete an indemnity form.

Contact Information: Samantha Dewhirst is co-ordinating this post, with authorisation of those successful from the centre manager. Phalaborwa Limpopo CARE, PO Box 1937, Phalaborwa, 1390, South Africa South Africa

Telephone Number: 447894644244

Website: http://www.primatecare.org.za

E-mail Address: conserveprimates@gmail.com