Hey everybody, some of you might be interested to know that I have secured a voluntary position at Banham Zoo!! One of my duties is to take a Bactrian Camel for a walk!!
Off topic but you have a PM camel leopard lol. And was it difficult? Bristol seems to be impossible to get a volunteer job at.
Congrats! I should probably find it quite easy to 'graduate' to a volunteer at Marwell after oryx club, though unfortunatley there's a no animal contact policy; you're very lucky!
I could see you being one of those people who just wander the park wearing the zoo shirt and talking to the public, MD. They're really good for, for one thing, finding staff in an emergancy, as well as getting little bits of information you wouldn't otherwise get. Better suited than handing out maps, anyway.
Oh yeah, you wouldn't see me doing that. I always feel sorry telling them I know my way around when they try to shove one in my hands.
I have heard that a lot of people want to volunteer at Banham and they only have 4 volunteers a day max (most volunteers on duplicate days) so i do consider myself lucky, not only about getting in but about being at a Zoo who's paramount priority is animal welfare and they do look after their stock very well at Banham!
I know alot of zoo volunteers dont work with the animals , but CiaranDUK said he or she will get to walk bactrian camels thats why i asked CiaranDUK if he or she will be working with the animals like a keeper.
What do you mean he or she?!?! Ciaran IS a male name! But anyways, It is generally a hands off policy but I have been told that I will 'assist in the daily walking of Camels and Llamas' ... Read into it what you will...
I'm intrigued by the student/volunteer structuring in other institutions? If there are only 4 volunteers I'd imagine they take the role that I'd have called students? Well done on taking another step forward Ciaran As an example here at Durrell, we generally have one student in Herps at any given time, although there may well be gaps or overlaps. In birds I think there are generally 2-3 students and in mammals 2? Students in herps are given quite a lot of responsibilities and detailed tasks to be completed alone but very closely monitored and followed up on. The amount of routine work or specialist activities given depends on each individual and their response to time pressures, behaviour and interaction with animals themselves and their attitudes to responsibility and work ethics. Students work a 5 day week 8am - 5:30pm and stay at least two months. There is a no animal contact policy in mammals but I think they are able to be as hands on in birds as they are in herps depending on the individual and the task at hand. Volunteers are very variable between departments, they generally volunteer anything from one morning or afternoon per week to a couple of days per week. We have one very rare volunteer who volunteers four days, two in herps, one in education and one with vets! These people are not obligated in any way and cannot be held responsible for mistakes made, as a result their work has to be carefully chosen by the staff instructing them and they are much more closely supervised. In mammals and birds volunteers a restricted to food preparation and possibly assisting keepers in feeding rounds, not much else and no animal contact. In herps volunteers can perform a significant amount of the duties that the average student can handle, they have direct animal contact on a good portion of routines forming the incentive to do the washing up and fruit chopping later! The basic list of tasks that can be given to students/volunteers are; Putting away washing up from the previous day, Cleaning all exhibit windows, Substrate changes in exhibits, Fruit chopping for insects and snails, Adult asian turtle room routine, Iguana room routine, Outdoor tortoise paddocks routine, Snails and cockroaches, Midday enclosure sprays routine, Feeding in tortoise paddocks, Watering plants, Feeding wormeries, kitchen washing up, Haitian giant galliwasp routine. A poorly suited student or relaxed volunteer with no real need to hurry (they're volunteering for the pleasure of it) may do only a handful of these tasks, a good to great student/volunteer might be asked to do tasks such as; Extra tasks in main exhibits to assist keepers, Extra tasks in frog exhibits to assist keepers, Assisting keepers in more difficult routines, they may for instance be trained to do all of the water changes in a room with much more difficult to keep species, they may be trusted to work with animals such as Malagasy flat tailed tortoises. Assisting a keeper working in the biosecure agile frog container, Assisting a keeper working in the tropical amphibian container, Working with mallorcan midwife toads or golden mantellas, Substrate changes on any off show non-quarantine area. Being shown taking biometrics for radiata eggs. Invariably these extra tasks involve a proven good attitude to detail and attention to handling/moving/working around animals. The people that earn these kinds of tasks really reap the rewards. I hope someone enjoyed hearing a bit of an insight into the kinds of work you could or might want to do
Wow, looks like I need to update this... As it happens, I haven't taken a Camel or a Llama for a walk, despite my 'Volunteer Pack' stating that I will help assist this. =( I have been volunteering at Banham Zoo for just over a year now. In that short year I have witnessed highlights and heartbreaks. BIRTHS Of course, there is no better highlight than the birth of the three Snow Leopard cubs, which are all fit and healthy, and can usually be seen playing with each other on the rocks in their enclosure; 'Province of the Snow Cat'. Their Mother 'Enif' has been very good despite this being her first litter and they are gradually being introduced to their Father 'Rocky' with strong wire mesh between them. Also, I have been there for two Giraffe births; 'Honey' and 'Victor', both of which are beautiful animals. They have the same Father; 'Jonathan', who I believe is at Port Lympne now, however they have different Mothers; 'Honey' is the daughter of 'Aisling', and 'Victor' is the son of 'Fiona'. There have been many bird hatchings too, including; several Chilean Flamingo, one definite Rainbow Lorikeet, a couple of Black Footed Penguin, a pair of Red Legged Seriema, a few African Spoonbill, several Golden Sebright Bantam, and several chicks currently in rearing rooms. There have also been many Primate births, off the top of my head the relevant species that I think have given birth are; Black and White Colobus, Colombian Black Spider, Siamang, Goeldi's, Golden Headed Lion Tamarin, Sambirano Bamboo Lemur and possibly Geoffroy's... I haven't really kept up to date with the Primates unfortunately. Also the Geoffroy's Cat pair had two kittens which are healthy too. A female South African Fur Seal was brought into the World by her mum 'Xena'. In the Deer Park, all four species present have successfully reared young. The Formosan Sika Deer have had numerous fawns, the Black Tailed Prairie Marmots have had many, many young as per usual and both species of Goose; the Red Breasted and Bar Headed Geese have had several goslings between them. Several Mongolian Sheep lambs have been born, increasing the flock to almost double the size it was. In the 'Farm Barn' exhibit, a pair of African Pygmy Goats were born and have been seen skipping about in their sizeable enclosure. A pair of Meerkats were born. Despite the mother animal being on contraception two baby Meerkats were born. Mother Nature can not be stopped!! Many arrivals and new species have entered the Zoo too in the past year too! ARRIVALS A female Ocelot joined the Zoo with the name of 'Giselle'. She was brought in with the intention of finding a male to set up a breeding pair. The older female 'Jade' is now too old to breed from and is likely to spend the rest of her days in the care of the Keepers at Banham. Since the arrival of 'Giselle' a male Ocelot with the name of 'Scratchy' was brought in. Some Rainbow Lorikeets have come in to start breeding and increase flock numbers, ready for the opening of the walk-through Lorikeet aviary that is currently being built. A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets also came in to be trained for the 'Amazing Animals' presentation. It is to my understanding that they can now be seen in the show. New studies showed that Sun Conures are more endangered than expected; therefore Banham Zoo brought in a new pair to increase the current flock numbers, ready for a good breeding programme of this species. Some Lion Headed Rabbits came in for the farm barn. These can be seen hopping about quite happily. Three Gloucester Old Spot Pigs came in from a local farm. The can be seen in the Farm Barn, rummaging through their straw beds and resting in their wallow. A European Eagle owl was brought in to create a companion for the existing bird at the far end of a bunch of aviaries by the entrance to the Zoo. A Grevy's Zebra Stallion called 'Stefan' joined the two females 'Lockey' and 'Ann', from Augsberg Zoo in Germany... I will mention 'Stefan' again, later. NEW SPECIES An elderly pair of African Barn Owls joined the list of animals to be seen at Banham. They came from Africa Alive! so they could acquire a younger breeding pair. A Boobook Owl can now be seen in the old Hawk Owl aviary, opposite the Australia Paddock. In the Bird Garden, two pairs of Ring Necked Parakeet can be seen. These also came from Africa Alive! as the Lovebirds they shared an enclosure with were picking on them! In the Australia Paddock, one can now see two species of Wallaby, Parma Wallaby and Bennett's Wallaby, both of which came from the Dinosaur Park. Of course you can't have highlights without heartbreaks, as any Soap Opera would tell you! 2010 has most probably been one of the worst years in Banham's history for important deaths... DEATHS On one fateful morning, two of the most important breeding programmes at Banham Zoo came to a dismal stand-still. 'Stefan' the Grevy's Zebra stallion and 'Malyshka' the Siberian Tigress had both died overnight. 'Stefan' had only been with Banham for five or six short months, and 'Malyshka' was only five years old. Well that is all I can actually be bothered to do... I think I have put off college work long enough now!
