Interns will work directly with the Curator of Behavioral Husbandry and Research and animal keepers to learn the principles of animal training and enrichment through lecture as well as hands-on work with the animals.

This particular internship is for seal training and polar bear enrichment and interns will participate in animal training demonstrations and schedule, implement and evaluate daily polar bear enrichment. As with many internships, this position is unpaid but housing is available.

Requirements are that you must be a junior or senior in college, or recent college graduate with a major in Biology, Animal Behavior, Psychology, Zoology or other related field

Must be willing to learn, have a positive attitude, and team mentality. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel required and previous hands-on work with animals a plus.

Duties include preparing seal diets and participate in daily feeding/training sessions and enter those training records into a computer program.

In addition, will help in the development of enrichment schedules for several species and construct and implement enrichment items while also conducting animal behavioral observations.

To apply please send a cover letter, resume and 3 references to (email preferred) to
Beth Posta
Curator of Behavioral Husbandry and Research
The Toledo Zoo
Beth.Posta@toledozoo.org 419-385-5721 ext. 2051

There are many people who are interested in working with birds. There are many different careers with animals and each has a variety of specialty areas. Studies for a career with birds may include ornithology, falconry, bird banding, or rehabilitation. There are also careers training pet birds, bird behavior, leading birding groups and more.

Today I am going to touch on banding birds. Banding is a process where a numbered band is placed on a bird’s leg. Believe it or not, bird banding has been a career area for about 105 years and the man credited with starting it all was Dr. Paul Bartsch of the Smithsonian Institution.

Today banding reports are still submitted and the band number is entered into a computer database and contains important information about the particular animal such as the species, sex, condition, age, and the area where it was banded.

Every time a banded bird is trapped and released again, or if the bird is found dead, the database is updated. The latest statistics available to me were that in 2001 a whopping 1,049,646 birds were banded in the United States and Canada, and 97,204 recoveries were reported to the Bird Banding Laboratory.

Traditionally a biology degree is helpful but studying ornithology is more appropriate. If you want more opportunities consider a field of study that allows you wider options…however for this field a degree is not always required.

Banders are a select group and there are only 2000 Master banding permits and 3000 subpermits in the United States. Those who apply for a banding permit must show that they are qualified to safely trap, handle, and band the birds.

To become a master at bird banding the minimum age is 18 years for the permit. A project proposal must be submitted and you will need recommendations by three licensed bird banders or professional ornithologists discussing your skills. The actual requirements I found are:

Applicants who are at least 18 years of age and are able to identify all of the common birds in their different seasonal plumages may apply for a bird banding permit. However, it is recommended that applicants initially request a subpermit under an existing bander. Applications are submitted to the Bird Banding Laboratory in the USA or the Canadian Wildlife Service in Canada. The applicants must furnish the names of three well-known bird banders or ornithologist who can vouch for their expertise as a bird bander.

To get experience prior to applying for a permit you should volunteer to help local bird banders in your area. Call the local universities, natural history museums, bird groups, or wildlife refuges to find out who is banding birds in your area. Most enjoy having volunteers.

If you do a good job and learn the nuances of bird banding, you may be able to obtain the recommendations you need to proceed. Each state varies in the way they regulate bird banding. There are both federal and state permits so you’ll need to check into the requirements for your particular state and also if you need special permits for trapping devices such as mist nets (specially designed nets for capturing birds).

• The formation of the National Bird Banding Program was heavily influenced by Frederick C. Lincoln.

• Read the executive summary about the North American Bird Banding Program at the United States Geological Survey website.

• Bird Ringing at Wikipedia

The Avian Flu has raised concern for some handling wild birds so the National Wildlife Health Center has a page you might be interested in viewing. It specifically updates those working with wild birds about health issues.

Birds are fascinating animals to work with and since there are so many varieties this is an area of focus you might want to explore.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Recently I conducted an animal career consultation with a middle aged woman. Her concern was about discrimination based on her age. Today, there are many different laws to protect against age discrimination but the concern is a valid one and I’ll explain why.

Depending on the animal career you are seeking—age really can make a difference but for a variety of reasons. If you are young, you have the opportunity to try a bunch of different animal careers and to grow within the realm you choose.

Many zoo keepers, for instance, can work their way into management or curatorial positions if they work hard, study, and get coaching from those in the institutions where they work.

If you are older—you don’t really want to mess around because you might not have the same amount of time to spend trying out different roles in the animal field. In that case, the research and volunteering strategies I have mentioned before are critical steps to take before making a change—or leap.

In some instances, fitness and reflexes are important—in fact, critical. As we age, our reflexes slow and that can be deadly if you are training wild animals in close proximity. However, age is not as big of a concern as it used to be. People are living longer and maintaining healthier lifestyles and higher fitness levels than in the past. There are some seniors that I have met that can run circles around younger protégés.

For those seeking a career change later in life, I suggest looking at careers that fit in with your talents and interests. During another animal career consultation I spoke with a woman who could not work hands-on with animals because of health issues—but she really wanted to do something that would make a difference.

I suggested she use one of her talents—and she did. Six months later she wrote me a nice note letting me know that she was doing well and already working in a career with animals that brought her joy, didn’t impact her health, and provided a new income as well!

So, no matter what age you are…you can realize your dreams of a career with animals. It might not look like what you first envisioned but remember, an animal career is not a destination, it is a journey.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Early in my career one of the industry icons of the time took me aside after a performance. I was on stage with a California sea lion who was in my charge. He said,

“You know we can see the amazing interactions you have with an animal when you are on stage. The connection is clear and you have real talent but if you are going to get anywhere in this industry, you are going to have to get better with people…”

Yikes! Talk about a shock. I didn’t really care about the people; my concern was with my charges. However, instead of being insulted or egotistic, I gave it serious thought and decided that he was right.

My point is that to get anywhere in the animal industry, you not only have to be good with animals—you have to be good with people, too.

Many people have the misconception that when you work with animals that you don’t have to work with or get along with the people, too. Nothing could be further from the truth! When working with animals there are coworkers, the public, managers, and a multitude of other people you will interact with.

If you suck with people, well—I hate to tell you this but you won’t get far.

I’ve had my ups and downs in the industry because I am very direct—I’d like to think I am a bit more refined in my style now. I’ve had years to work on my people skills but I have to say that I’ve been in hot water more than once because I won’t budge on a stand over what I perceive as a life and death situation. The well being of animals and humans is so important that I’ve actually lost a job over speaking up on the issue.

Also, I am always looking for new and better ways to do things–which can also get you into trouble. Recently I was reminded of how uncomfortable some people get over that. Someone I consider a colleague was rude…condescending actually…and rather than take her to task, I just noted that this was not the first time and probably won’t be the last she has behaved that way. So, my choice is to be polite, but that is about the extent of any interactions we may have.

My point here is that in the past, I would have gone head to head over the matter. In the scientific realm we like hard core data—but when you work with animals you also have to use other skills and techniques. More on that later…

Anyway, my point in sharing some of my experiences is that if you plan on working with animals you need to plan on working with people—and closely. So, if you are not a good people person—work on becoming better. It will help you in the long run.

And if someone experienced comes up to you and tells you that you need to improve or change something—take note and give the suggestion a shot because it could make the difference in how successful you become in your dream animal career.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

There are always more questions to answer regarding how to prepare for a career with animals. One submitted question concerns education—just what is the difference between certifications and a degree, and what type of salary can be expected?

First a certificate is something you earn by completing a specific set of course work. Private programs often give them out and accredited colleges will also give them if you complete just the required courses within a certain program or major.

When students complete the required courses in the program and also any other general or special education requirements of the college, then they usually earn a specific degree. In today’s world it is best to at least earn a bachelors degree to remain competitive and you’ll need to make sure that your credits will transfer to the high institution if you plan on continuing. Just what degree will be the best for you may vary depending on the industry—but we can get into that in more depth later.

The tragedy of working in the animal field is that the salary is often pretty low. Here is how it works—the number of people seeking an animal career position is always high. Due to the demand, lower salaries are accepted—so the wages remain low. I remember one facility that still had the $7 per hour starting wage for over twenty years!

So just what type of salary you earn will depend on your experience, education, and the type of job you are seeking. In some cases you might luck out and land a position that is managed by a union—otherwise the results vary.

Estimates for starting salaries range from the upper teens into the mid twenties ($18,000- $24,000) per year according to one animal college program. Some companies may have starting wages on an hourly basis from $8.00 – $17.00 per hour.

So, most people are in the industry because of their love for animals—not for the money. It is great to find a balance. I remember being with the top primatologists in the field when one famous researcher said he envied me—I couldn’t believe it as he was working with some rare animals. His point was that I had the potential to make better money than he could—and he was tired of endlessly seeking grants to continue his work–a stressful endeavor as his projects could have ended at any time due to lack of funding!

There are some people who make $50,000 or more per year. Probably the largest growing area of the animal industry is the pet field because people’s pets have become furry family members and are treated like children. This will create a big demand for services.

I want to talk about a misconception rampant among those who want to work with animals—but it is time to log off so I will save that for another time.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Rumors that I am off reading Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows are not true but it isn’t a bad idea…I was traveling all day yesterday and today was a full day with appointments and other commitments but in all that activity I remembered another question that was posed by a reader.

I mentioned that apprenticing is a good way to get experience but many people call that volunteering or interning. Basically the underlying experience is the same—you gain practical experience and first hand knowledge before you make the commitment to an education program for that career AND commit to that professional field.

The hands-on work is vital to get before you make a final decision on what career path to pursue. I know that I did not want to be a veterinarian because I didn’t want to work with sick animals—and because all the exotic animals I knew hated their veterinarians—and I wanted them to like me!

Also, the veterinary medical field is similar to studying for a medical degree and you have to have the stomach for all things bloody and yucky. I know that isn’t too professional sounding but it gets the point across.

Even unpaid positions require preparation and commitment. You need to show up for work and work hard because you are being prepared for a career and those working with you will pass the information on to others in the field.

Most of the people who end up in jobs work hard to get to know the professionals in the animal career of their dreams. When I was in the marine mammal world, I knew pretty much everyone working in the local oceanariums, networked at the meetings instead of playing, and really studied the natural history of the animals I was interested in.

If you remember nothing else when you are miserably doing a job you consider menial—but which is probably a vital task for animal management—remember that the work you are doing as an intern, volunteer, or apprentice is a foot in the door and a step onto the ladder of the animal career you dream about.

In some cases, it is a rude awakening that you are not suited for that particular role. Often people find that they are really better at something else instead of the role they thought they would pursue.

Okay, that is it for today. I’ll get into some meatier topics this weekend.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

Oliver Dingwell conducted his first pet funeral, which commemorated the unfortunate passing of Freddy the Frog, when he was just six years old [read more about Oliver Dingwell… ] but other than the fact that Oliver’s is a whopping twelve years old, the career path isn’t too unusual—any more.

The 1900s were significant as animals and pets moved from utilitarian roles and workers into the homes to become valued family members. Pet cemeteries and burials began to become more common right at the turn of the century.

In fact, Hartsdale Pet Cemetery has the distinction of being one of the oldest established pet cemeteries in the United States. Hartsdale Canine Cemetery was originally established in 1896 by a prominent veterinarian and was one of a few early trend setting businesses in the pet cemetery and pet crematoria fields.

However, pet burial services have a much longer history. For instance, the National History Museum in Los Angeles estimates that the presence of pets in human burials began between 14, 000 and 9,000 years ago.

In my interview with Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist with the Cairo Museum, she said that animal mummification reached its pinnacle of popularity between 664-525 BCE. There was an evolution from animals being interred in the tombs of their owners, or with their owners, to that of animal specific burial grounds—and some even warranted their own tombs.

In my research for Blessing of the Animals (ISBN 1402729677) I found that many of the newest trends really took hold in the 1990s, but that early innovators began holding ceremonies and celebrations as early as the 1970s.

Pet services in the pet burial and pet memorial field that are gaining momentum include pet hospice worker, pet funeral director, and pet bereavement counselor. I believe that this field is still at the early stages and will only increase as the numbers of pets within households age and their status as valued furry family members solidifies.

Because the industry is still pretty new, just what qualifications you will need are not clear. The academic training falls under Mortuary Science (no, I am not kidding) where the minimum is a Bachelors degree. There are a few US programs available to animal career seekers but these are not specifically animal oriented. I just received a special report from the industry concerning pet trends so check back because I’ll put this in a special report about the pet burial industry in the near future.

Most workers in the field of memorial or burial services state that it is very rewarding and it must be since the average funeral director salary is estimated to be an average of about $45,000 a year according to the US Board of Labor estimate.

Leanne McMahon (Read more about Leanne McMahon) is a pet funeral director who said, “Simply put, I believe I have the best job in the world. I believe that I’m helping families, particularly when they need that help.”

Today, there are a couple of professional organizations specifically for pet cemetery and crematoria businesses. If you are interested in an animal career find out who the members are in your area. Leave me a comment because I’d be happy to conduct interviews, record them, and post them for you if you have specific questions.

Founded in 1971, the International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of pet cemeteries through public awareness programs.

The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria is the largest and longest established pet bereavement trade association within the United Kingdom and set the standards for the cremation and burial of pets.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and the host of the syndicated, Ark Animal Answers.

I did not get a deadline for applications but today’s date is July 12, 2007. If you are one of my students interested in applying please contact me for an insider introduction.

Job Title: Animal Resources Training Supervisor
Department: Visitor Experiences
Supervisor: Animal Resources Manager
Supervises: Assigned Staff, Volunteers and Interns
Status: Full Time, Regular, Exempt

General Statement: Responsible for safety, health and well being of all assigned animals through demonstrated and significant knowledge of documented husbandry practices and staff leadership in the performance of these duties. Supervise daily operations of assigned area, including staff scheduling and coverage to ensure standard operational efficiencies. Prepare weekly payroll processing for managerial approval, and other area supervisory tasks as assigned. Initiate animal handling training and maintenance in conjunction with the Presentation Supervisor to produce engaging and interactive visitor experiences.

Essential Duties:

• Oversee the daily operations of assigned area. Including – observation of all animals assigned to area ensuring standard care and well being. Ensure full operations of area programs, husbandry, veterinary collaborations, and exhibit/enclosure readiness.
• Supervise assigned area personnel to include trainers, volunteers and interns. Produce area schedule to ensure adequate animal and programmatic coverage. Assign tasks to trail staff. Communicate necessary personnel issues to area manager, assist in the completion of annual and quarterly reviews of all assigned staff, handle daily supervision needs of staff and assigned area.
• Insure adequate stock of area supplies and equipment while maintaining understanding of budgetary costs and control.
• Perform routine husbandry and environmental maintenance of assigned specimens when necessary. Ensure amendments and updating of the area SOP’s in a timely manner. Maintain all taxon reference books to accurately reflect current collection; act as principal trainer for new staff, volunteers, insuring appropriate knowledge and understanding of section SOP’s.
• Keep apprised of all assigned facilities, condition of facilities and process necessary repairs and recommendations to area manager.
• Demonstrate knowledge of nutritional requirements of assigned specimens; participate as primary attendee to all heath and dietary meetings for assigned area. Report all dietary and heath issues to area Manager. Collaborate with
  ACC staff in carrying out health monitoring and assessment. Collaborate with nutritional staff to ensure dietary needs and assessments are being met.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategic collection plan for assigned section and species; manage captive reproduction program components as assigned; participate in and interact with external groups and organizations in collaborative efforts associated with institutional goals, as assigned.
• Observe and report animal behavior; perform assigned and approved Behavioral Enrichment activities; perform assigned and approved Animal Training procedures.
• Demonstrate significant knowledge of The Phoenix Zoo’s Behavioral Management Protocol; consistently implement behavioral management initiatives in assigned area; participate, as approved, on Behavioral Enrichment Committee, Behavioral Management Committee, etc.
• Assist in the development of protocols for the restraint and treatment of assigned animals. Instruct new staff in the procedure as assigned.
• Participate as assigned in non-routine health and husbandry activities such as animal transports, animal introductions, and the medication of specimens. Provide advice related to assigned specimens and species.
• Respond to animal emergency circumstances according to approved protocols. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of emergency procedures and provide leadership in emergency situations.
• Perform minor repairs to exhibits. Interact with maintenance staff as needed and as assigned; demonstrate practical knowledge of building and mechanical systems in assigned areas, required preventative and routine maintenance, and routine operating parameters.
• Monitor the public ensuring the safety of visitors and animals; routinely interact with Park Rangers in promoting safety; participate on Safety Committees as assigned.
• Interact with Visitor Experience, Living Collections and volunteer staff to support designated public experiences and other communication activities; demonstrate significant understanding of key message and communication goals for assigned areas. Demonstrate skill in engaging and communicating with the public; display knowledge of appropriate engagement and activity types for various audiences; possess knowledge of and communicate regarding the history and purpose of the Zoo, the assigned section of the Zoo, and the assigned collection specimens.
• Participate in special event, marketing, and other promotional activities as assigned.
• Work collaboratively with other staff and departments to meet the Zoo’s overall revenue goals and objectives.
• Provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests.

Qualifications:

• Ability to provide quality customer service to both internal and external customers.
• B.S. Degree in Life Science or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum three-year experience in work relevant to zoo animal husbandry and at least one year demonstrated experience in supervisory or management capacity.
• Minimum two-year experience in developing and maintaining trained animal behaviors through Operant conditioning in support of public programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge in the areas of exotic animal nutrition, public engagement and communication, facility maintenance.
• Strong leadership and communication skills required.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Able to bend, stoop, crawl and walk on uneven surfaces.
• Ability to work in extreme weather conditions.
• Ability to work flexible schedule including weekends, holidays and evenings.
• Possession of a valid driver license.
• Ability to pass pre-employment and annual TB tests.

Careers for Animal Lovers & Other Zoological Types by Louise Miller has been out since 2000 but remains a good beginning resource as you start to search a career. The text is geared towards all ages but I’d recommend it to students who are beginning to explore just what types of animal jobs fit their interests and what some of the requirements are for those careers with animals.

The book is different in that it categorizes the jobs under the general types of work such as “Training and Handling Our Best Friends” and “Protecting Our Furred and Feathered Friends” and even “Building a Business Around Animals.”

What I like about the book is that Miller actually looks at the strengths and skill sets and then talks about the careers with animals that might be of interest (This goes along with that list I had you do early on…remember?)

The author discusses the types of careers within the different agencies-everything from clerical to management so it doesn’t specifically talk just about the touchy-feely aspects of the jobs available.

Because the industry has changed drastically over the past ten to fifteen years you’ll need to do some digging and round out your research with some other resources.

I’ve heard seekers complain about the fact that animal career books or articles do not get into salary ranges. My advice? Get over the complaining and do some work to find that information on your own.

Salaries vary greatly throughout the country–and also depending on the agency. If you take my tips to start reading specific journals and building industry relationships you’ll find the salary ranges there or by simply picking up the phone and calling the human resource office of the facility you are interested in working for.

Louise Miller just updated another career book (which I will review later) and so I am guessing this book will be updated soon as well.

If you are just starting to research animal careers buy Careers for Animal Lovers & Other Zoological Typesby Louise Miller now.

Diana L Guerrero is an animal career specialist and has extensive experience in many areas of the animal world. A well known animal expert, she has worked professionally with animals for over thirty years. Guerrero is the author of several books and writes for a variety of websites.