California Wildlife Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Volunteer

Neonate Intensive Care Unit volunteers will assist staff and interns with different aspects of animal care within the wildlife critical care nursery (Neonate Intensive Care Unit, NICU) at California Wildlife Center (CWC).

Volunteers are required to commit to a minimum of six months, volunteering at least one 4-hour shift per week (same day and time per week required).

What volunteers will be taught:

·Daily routines that include laundry,

cleaning around the hospital, and dishwashing

·Daily husbandry-related activities including diet preparation, cleaning indoor and outdoor enclosures, and delivering diets to various patients

·Consistent, timely feeding and tending to a wide variety of neonate, nestling, and fledgling Native Southern California bird species including but not limited to crows, ravens, finches, sparrows, doves, pigeons, jays, and woodpeckers.

·Consistent, timely feeding and tending to a variety of neonate, weening, and juvenile Native California terrestrial mammal species including but not limited to squirrels and opossums

 Assist with intake procedures for new patients

· Species identification and determining specific care requirements based on natural history and species behavior

· Assist with wildlife releases

·Create and deliver animal enrichment

·Learn about the natural history and behavior of native California wildlife

·Assist in transporting wildlife from local animal shelters if desired by the volunteer

·Safe handling skills for a wide variety of native orphaned baby birds/ baby mammals

·Other duties as assigned

Volunteers in the NICU department will be taught and then expected to safely handle and feed various species of nestling and fledgling birds and weening and juvenile mammals in a timely manner, as it is critical to the success of each patient.

Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must have respect for wildlife and courtesy toward the public