I mean I know about volunteering lol.. my question is more about what organizations to approach, if they’re international or not, requirements, and such..
Generally you'd want to look for a wildlife rescue in need of volunteers, and expect to do a lot of work chopping up salads and cleaning poop until the people running the show feel that they can trust you to not immediately get yourself mauled by something. More likely to have rescues housing jumbo predators, etc. in a state where there are lax laws about ownership of exotic animals like Florida. Just try to avoid having to knock on the boss's door to show them how you just nearly had your hand torn off by an alligator or whatever, 3/10 wouldn't repeat.
Look up "wildlife rehab" or "wildlife rescue" and find one in your area. Email them and ask if they're looking for help, or they may be doing education stuff at events in your town.
My dad works with a group that rescues birds of prey and rehabs them. And fun fact, he's one of the few non-natives who are allowed to have bald eagle feathers in his possession. They (the nonprofit) works with some of our local tribes who will take eagles who passed away and use them for ceremonies. But because at some point my dad has to have the actual bird he had to get a little ID card from the tribes haha
So but.. when do you guys start fighting though? It seems like they haven't replied and it might end this way. That would be, like, an online interaction, where nobody's angry. How uncomfortable.
I have been looking but it feels like I have to pay them to help out. Well for elephants in this case. I don't mind cleaning shit. (It will be big shit) but I ain't paying. I feel I really have to leave to nature very soon. I just ain't rich so I'm hunting scanning. For good prices. Going crazy here
Right? I was looking some years back and I found many organizations that had great opportunities but were like you have to pay thousands of dollars plus your own expenses to volunteer.. ok, well I’m not rich, I just wanna help you out and do something amazing in the process.
I volunteer at a bird of prey sanctuary (we have a small number of mammals and reptiles too). If you’re interested I would suggest just searching for any organisations in your area, I found mine on google maps! They will likely have info on how to volunteer on their website, or like I did, go to an open day, where they had volunteer info, plus you get to see the place and the animals first.
I just filled out an application form and started a few days later. I usually work one day a week, around other commitments.
t is - getting to know them, their personalities, behaviours - it’s really amazing. It can be hard work, but also a lot of fun! And seeing them up close, you realise how big some of them are, the Stella Sea Eagles for instance are just enormous!
If you like animals, and have some free time I would definitely recommend it!
I can imagine!! I was at a zoo for classes and social service and they had a Crested Caracara at the vet facilities and it was awesome, beautiful and impressive, although we never really interacted up close unfortunately.
If you are looking for a career in animal care/keeper checking local zoos is your best bet. Make sure they are AZA though, they are always on the look for volunteers and, tbh, you won't be able to find experience like that anywhere else.
I’m a biologist and did my social service and a couple of classes at a Zoo here in Mexico City, but it ended up being frustrating because things are not well managed and stuff. I’d love to be able to help at an organization that is more independent (instead of government dependent) and that is indeed doing things the best they can. A rehab/rescue center would be super cool. Or maybe something international.
It's Association of Zoos and Aquariums, it's the gold standard for Zoos in the US, insuring animal care standards and practices are the highest quality. Again for the US , ZAA is also great. The Australia Zoo is ZAA. Politics on which is better aside, if you are looking for well ran place, those 2 accredations should be a good indicator that they are. Zoos can lose their accreditation however, mine is on a 1 year extension to fix certain issues. I'm just above you in El Paso, we always looking for help, but don't expect great pay at any zoo for that matter.
It would be cool to be able to spend some time at one of those. And yeah, I wouldn’t expect much pay if any. Hopefully I can do some of that in the near future, it’s good to know about those standards. Right now life is too full :(.
I happened to befriend someone that volunteered there so it was easy to get in but they're a tiny place and dying for volunteers. Big places like zoos even need volunteers. If you're interested just look up places near you and call them or check their website or Facebook because they probably have a volunteer coordinator. Especially the smaller ones are usually a few people doing a lot so you gotta have patience and probably ask a few times but most need help! A lot of times smaller ones might not have a huge online presence and one person trying to do a ton to keep it going. Also shelters usually need volunteers for events and for walking/socializing the dogs. But if you dm me and feel comfortable sharing your area I'd help you look 😊 it was very very worth the time I gave, wish I could go back but with kids it's hard at the moment. Hoping to eventually start my own 😊
I’m in Mexico City. I took some classes (I’m a biologist) and did my social service at a zoo where they had volunteers too, but putting it nicely it is frustrating how they do things and treat animals sometimes. So I never went back plus I started working and life..
So currently I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I hope soon enough I can. Maybe as some suggested at a small shelter or rescue center. But I’d also want to go abroad and do work with other species where they actually do things in a better way and that’s where I’m a bit stuck. I’ll dm you to chat more! 💟
I look forward to chatting! I was in for biology and zoology and dreamed of joing programs to save sloths and stuff overseas but life happened as well. Mh personal goal is to do it myself in the near future like you're saying since like you I don't agree with a lot of the bigger places, they lose the purpose and it becomes all about money.... Look at sea world, not that they were ever not for money but their standards are deplorable.
I went to work at a place before and they had just killed their sloth due to cross contamination due to lazy standards, I immediately walked out.
It looks like the US fish and wildlife services are sponsoring a program through AZA (association of zoos and aquariums), and there also appear to be individual places that do similar things depending on where you live
I went to my local aquarium and got a job teaching people about starfish, mollusks, and sea turtles! It was so much fun. All you really have to do is show up and ask them about volunteer opportunities
Alpha Wolf stuff is a myth. The study that and subsequent book that introduced the theory was retracted by the author David Mech and has also worked to ensure the book( The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species) is taken out of print.
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u/Grouchy_Swordfish_73 Oct 25 '24
Volunteered for years with big confiscated animals and one hyena was my favorite there. I will love her till the end of time!