Birds, Mammals, Reptiles Volunteer - Keeper - Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium

Birds, Mammals, and Wigglers (BMW) Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunity: Keeper Team

What we need:  

Our volunteers learn valuable hands-on skills, taught by our BMW team, including cleaning animal areas, animal nutrition, diet preparation, organizing and cleaning animal food storage areas, and observing and documenting animal behaviors.

While BMW volunteers work near our animals, applicants for these positions should not expect direct animal contact, handling, or training on any regular basis.

What you may do: 

While volunteering with the BMW team, you may be trained and may interact with river otters, alligators, black bear, hellbenders, owls, snakes, beaver, salamanders, bats, and turtles, among other animals. The typical BMW team member’s day consists of a lot of cleaning, dealing with biosolids, and chemical odors. There may be times when a volunteer assists the BMW team with animal training, watches a veterinarian procedure, and interacts

with guests.

• Actively observe animals’ behavior.
• Cleaning of the commissary.
• Prepare daily diets and maintain accurate records of assigned animals.
• Gain knowledge with mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian identifications.
• Assist with maintaining back of house areas.

How this will help: 

Us: 

The Keeper team is constantly evolving and welcoming new species and opportunities to enhance our animals’ lives and the guest experience. Having dynamic and driven interns, or volunteers, join our team will ensure and promote effective and efficient care of the department’s animal collection.

You: 

Several valuable hands-on skills will be taught including disease management, animal nutrition, live food preparation, and much more. Volunteering with the BMW team is something that may help prepare you for a career in animal husbandry and many zoology, biology, or science-related fields.

Skills & Experience Needed: 

• Volunteer must be 18 years or older
• Self-starter
• Detail-Oriented
• Must be willing to take direction and ask questions
• Requires walking/standing approximately 75% of the time, sitting 10% of the time, forward bending and crouching 15% of the time, lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Requires walking/standing approximately 75% of the time, sitting 10% of the time, forward bending and crouching 15% of the time, lifting up to 50 lbs.

Availability/Time Commitment:

• Animal Care volunteers are required to work at least one 4-hour shift per week. There are daily opportunities between 6 am and 3 pm.
• Not all applicants will be accepted into animal care opportunities with additional screenings required.

Fun Fact about the Department: 

Wonders of Wildlife has 5 resident otters that call it home.

Find out more information by visiting: wondersofwildlife.org/volunteer