Hiring Organization:
Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education
Date Posted:
2013-01-04
Position Description:
The Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) is a rehabilitation centre situated in a stunning South African wildlife nature reserve.
We have embarked on an enrichment program for the 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 & continue with enclosure improvements, 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) Continue with and refine the present 'Enrichment Schedules'for all the baboons who will receive enrichment.
3) Liaise with the Deputy Centre Manager for scheduling their own time and that of other volunteers for specific enrichment duties.
4) Recruit help from the volunteers to design, implement and evaluate enrichment ideas/toys.
5) Communicate with the Deputy Centre Manager whom will authorise new designs (this is important with regards to safety of the baboons and the intern).
6) Communicate with the Deputy Centre Manager to organise times to be escorted with enrichment items if needed; due to the wild baboons the intern (especially females) will not be permitted to administer enrichment without an escort.
7) Present their work at informal 'team talks', through either short power point displays or written work - this is to;
a) inform the permanent staff of what is being achieved,
b) educate other volunteers about the importance of enrichment.
8) Provide photographs and write short updates for the C.A.R.E. Facebook page.
9) Coordinate the revamping of old enclosures.
10) Revamp enclosures.
11) Source materials for enrichment and enclosure revamp.
12) Use tools to complete tasks.
Qualifications/Experience:
Minimum of a diploma in animal care or other skill.
Preferrably killed using tools; welding, wood work.
Training in baboon behaviour and husbandry will be given and a certificate will be awarded on completion of the assignment.
Salary/funding:
We ask each volunteer to make a donation to help us fund the project as we receive no government funding. We also ask for a contribution to cover food/accommodation.
The volunteer must pay to cover all their travel costs, medical and travel insurance etc.
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
See Salary/Funding
Term of Appointment:
Minimum 1 month
Application Deadline:
ongoing, rolling position
Comments:
Situated on the banks of the Oliphant’s River, in the middle of a stunning 3000 hectare ‘Big 5’ South African Nature Reserve, the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) is the perfect location for a wild animal rehabilitation centre.
C.A.R.E. greatly needs volunteers to help hand-raise baby baboon orphans, to assist with the rehabilitation of baboons which spent up to 13 years of their life in a lab-cage and to help animals which have been rescued from all sorts of circumstances. To be part of the animals healing; bonding with the baboons in a way that is incomprehensible to most, watching them grow in confidence, and to witness them becoming wild, sociable animals again, is an experience with unparalleled rewards; that any volunteer will never forget.
Although C.A.R.E. will treat any animal in immediate need, C.A.R.E. specialises in the rehabilitation of the charismatic chacma baboon, and has pioneered in the success of releasing troops of hand-raised orphans back into the wild on a number of occasions. As C.A.R.E. is situated in a wild animal nature reserve, C.A.R.E. is a truly unique and special place.
The baboons undergoing rehabilitation at the centre really do get the best start for a life back in the wild, learning about the wild animals around them and how to live as part of a well bonded family again.
With 260 recorded species of birds inhabiting the reserve, often magnificent birds of prey fly above, causing the orphan babies to soon learn to duck out of sight or into the arms of the volunteers who act as the Baboon Care Givers. It’s always exciting for the staff and volunteers when the baboons make their unique warning calls, which echo throughout the centre, as then it is known that a crocodile, elephant or hippo has been spotted in the nearby river – a chance for everyone to grab their cameras to find out what wild creature they have spotted!
C.A.R.E. is a busy place, filled with energy and dynamic, and the credit can only be attributed to the charming and curious chacma baboons that inhabit the centre. With the wild baboon troop roaming around there is never a dull moment at C.A.R.E. and their presence is considered an essential element of the rehabilitation of those in the enclosures. For the baboons undergoing rehabilitation to be able to watch, listen and learn from the wild baboons the rehabilitation at C.A.R.E. is truly extraordinary, additionally it provides a fantastic opportunity for any volunteers and researchers interested in nature and social behaviour to observe the performances of real wild baboons.
C.A.R.E. was established in 1989 by the indomitable Rita Miljo and was the first rehabilitation centre to develop release methods to successfully release the baboons back into the wild. These achievements have been documented in TV shows, documentary’s, books and in stunning photography. It is believed that the success of the releases is multifaceted; the release process is slow, gentle and well planned. The release team spend 4-6 months in the wild with the baboons; teaching them the area which becomes their new home. Vital to a successful release is the rehabilitation process, and in order to achieve this C.A.R.E. relies on volunteers all over the globe coming to the centre to help hand-raise and rehabilitate the baboons which C.A.R.E. rescues.
Baboons often arrive at C.A.R.E. completely traumatised and the staff and volunteers help to gently integrate them into a new social group and watch their confidence grow again. Baboons are primates, and in the wild they are part of close-knit family units referred to as a troop. A baby baboon will usually be born into a shielding family and have a protective father, devoted mother and several caring siblings and aunts who all fuss over the baby and keep it safe. Throughout Africa and the world the wildlife habitats are being destroyed and South Africa’s wildlife areas are becoming increasingly fragmented; turning the baboons’ homes and foraging grounds into farms, towns and other human areas. This leads to hungry baboons venturing onto unfriendly territories and often getting shot. Often people just shoot them for ‘sport’, others are the victim of the illegal pet trade, power lines, road accidents and the vivisection industry.
Contact Information:
Phalaborwa PO Box 1937, Phalaborwa, 1390, South Africa
South Africa
Telephone Number:
+27716 925 055
Website:
E-mail Address: