Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships with Housing: A Comprehensive Guide

For individuals passionate about wildlife and conservation, internships offer invaluable hands-on experience and a pathway to a fulfilling career. Wildlife rehabilitation internships, particularly those with housing options, provide immersive learning opportunities in animal care, conservation, and education. This article explores various aspects of wildlife rehabilitation internships with housing, highlighting program types, benefits, and opportunities available across different organizations.

Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships

Wildlife rehabilitation internships are designed to provide participants with practical experience in the care and treatment of injured, orphaned, and displaced wild animals. These internships offer a unique opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals, gaining skills in animal husbandry, medical care, and conservation practices. The inclusion of housing makes these internships more accessible, especially for students and individuals who may not have local accommodation options.

Types of Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships

Wildlife rehabilitation internships vary in focus and duration, catering to different interests and experience levels. Some common types include:

General Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships

These internships provide a broad overview of wildlife rehabilitation, covering all aspects from admission to release. Interns participate in various tasks, such as building cages, preparing food, administering medications, and assisting with medical procedures. These programs are ideal for those seeking a comprehensive understanding of wildlife rehabilitation.

Treehouse Wildlife Center: Offers internships where participants gain hands-on experience in every aspect of wildlife rehabilitation. Interns learn from experienced rehabbers and participate in tasks such as building cages and assisting with educational programs.

Education Internships

Education internships focus on teaching and outreach activities related to wildlife conservation. Interns learn how to care for and train ambassador animals, develop educational materials, and lead tours and presentations. These internships are ideal for students majoring in education, biology, or environmental sciences.

Treehouse Wildlife Center: Their Education Internship Program is perfect for those who love wildlife and teaching. Interns learn how to care for and train outreach ambassador animals and use them for educational programming. They may lead tours, participate in outreach programs, train ambassador animals, and develop educational material.

Veterinary Internships and Externships

Veterinary internships and externships are designed for veterinary students, graduates, and licensed professionals seeking specialized training in wildlife medicine. These programs offer intensive experience in areas such as anatomy, wildlife diseases, triage, anesthesia, and surgery.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): Offers a Veterinary Internship designed for DVM graduates placed by their universities to complete an annual rotation at a hospital. This role provides a comprehensive experience in wildlife medicine.
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): Provides Veterinary Externships offered to licensed veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and qualified veterinary and vet tech students. Externs gain competencies in anatomy, wildlife diseases, triage, anesthesia, surgery, and more.

Summer Internships

Summer internships are typically shorter in duration, often lasting 12 weeks, and are geared towards students and individuals with limited availability during the academic year. These internships provide intensive training in specific areas of wildlife rehabilitation, such as juvenile songbird care or general wildlife husbandry.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): Offers a Wildlife Rehabilitation Summer Internship available to students and others interested in wildlife rehabilitation. Interns develop skills in wildlife identification, disease and toxin recognition, species-specific handling techniques, biosecurity, and animal husbandry.

Specialized Internships

Some organizations offer specialized internships that focus on specific aspects of wildlife conservation, such as fundraising, public relations, grant writing, or research. These internships provide opportunities to develop skills in areas that support the broader mission of wildlife rehabilitation.

Treehouse Wildlife Center: May also offer internships in other areas of interest, such as fundraising, public relations, and grant writing.

Benefits of Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships with Housing

Participating in a wildlife rehabilitation internship with housing offers numerous benefits, both personally and professionally.

Hands-On Experience

Interns gain practical, hands-on experience in all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation, from animal care to medical treatment. This experience is invaluable for building skills and knowledge in the field.

PAWS: Wildlife Rehabilitation Interns assist and support professional Rehabilitators in the daily care of wildlife patients. Interns gain valuable, practical experience in species identification and natural history, proper husbandry techniques, animal handling, tube-feeding of mammals and birds, medication administration, lab work, and other procedures.

Skill Development

Internships provide opportunities to develop a wide range of skills, including animal handling, medical procedures, data collection, and communication. These skills are highly transferable and can be applied to various careers in wildlife conservation.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): Interns will develop skills in wildlife identification, disease and toxin recognition, species-specific handling techniques, biosecurity, and animal husbandry.

Networking Opportunities

Interns have the chance to network with experienced professionals in the field, building relationships that can lead to future job opportunities.

General Benefit: Working alongside experienced rehabbers and veterinarians provides invaluable networking opportunities and mentorship.

Career Advancement

Completing a wildlife rehabilitation internship can significantly enhance career prospects in wildlife conservation, veterinary medicine, and related fields.

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary: Interns will gain extensive experience and skills necessary to pursue paid animal care positions.

Personal Growth

Internships offer opportunities for personal growth and development, fostering a sense of responsibility, compassion, and dedication to wildlife conservation.

General Benefit: Internships provide a unique opportunity to contribute to the well-being of wild animals and make a positive impact on the environment.

Housing and Stipends

Many wildlife rehabilitation internships offer housing and stipends to help offset the cost of living. This support makes internships more accessible and allows participants to focus on their learning experience.

Read also: Becoming a Wildlife Biologist

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary: Interns are provided free onsite housing and a $1,500.00 per month stipend.
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): The Veterinary Internship provides housing and a bi-weekly stipend of $1,500 (before taxes).
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC): The Wildlife Rehabilitation Summer Internship offers a stipend of $100/week with housing provided OR $200/week without housing.
Refuge internships: Refuge internships are usually unpaid, but housing and a food stipend are often included.
SCA internships: SCA interns typically receive a biweekly stipend plus a housing and travel allowance, and are eligible for AmeriCorps Education awards.
Wolf Hollow: Our intern housing is co-ed and situated in an on-site 4 bedroom 2 bathroom manufactured home, which provides accommodation for up to 5 interns at one time. The housing includes a kitchen and laundry facilities.

Featured Organizations and Their Internship Programs

Several organizations offer outstanding wildlife rehabilitation internships with housing. Here are a few examples:

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center (BRWC)

BRWC is dedicated to educating and training the next generation of conservationists, veterinarians, and wildlife rehabilitators. Their Professional Training Program includes:

Year-long fellowships for rehabilitators and educators.
Year-long veterinary internship for recent DVM grads.
12-week summer internships for those interested in wildlife rehabilitation (no experience necessary).
Year-round externships for veterinary and vet tech students.
Paid intern and fellow positions.

Treehouse Wildlife Center

Treehouse Wildlife Center offers internships in wildlife rehabilitation and education, providing hands-on experience in animal care, educational programming, and more.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship: Interns gain experience in all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation, from admission to release.
Education Internship Program: Interns learn how to care for and train ambassador animals, develop educational materials, and lead tours and presentations.

Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Located in the San Juan Islands, Wolf Hollow offers internships during the "Baby Season" (May to September). Interns assist in the daily care of wildlife patients, gaining practical experience in species identification, husbandry techniques, and medical procedures.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Interns: Assist and support professional Rehabilitators in the daily care of wildlife patients. Interns gain valuable, practical experience in species identification and natural history, proper husbandry techniques, animal handling, tube-feeding of mammals and birds, medication administration, lab work, and other procedures.
Intern Housing: The intern housing is co-ed and situated in an on-site 4 bedroom 2 bathroom manufactured home, which provides accommodation for up to 5 interns at one time. The housing includes a kitchen and laundry facilities.

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary provides lifelong care to surrendered and confiscated exotics, including tigers, lions, bears, and wild felids. Their animal keeper internship offers experience in animal husbandry, medical care, and habitat maintenance.

Animal Keeper Internship: Interns provide daily animal husbandry, medications, species-specific diets, and supplements. They also assist in safe capture procedures, participate in emergency training, and provide animal enrichment.
Compensation and Benefits: Interns are provided free onsite housing and a $1,500.00 per month stipend.

PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society)

PAWS offers summer internships that include a variety of continuing education classes.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Interns: Interns work 40 hours per week including weekend and holiday work.
Internship housing: Internship housing is available to four candidates that are at least 40 miles away from the PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

USFWS offers various internship opportunities through programs such as the Student Conservation Association (SCA), Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), and Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP). These internships provide experience in wildlife management, conservation education, and research.

SCA Internships: Interns receive a biweekly stipend plus a housing and travel allowance and are eligible for AmeriCorps Education awards.
HAF Internships: Paid internships for college students and college grads, with placements in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
CDIP Internships: Aims to draw diverse and historically underrepresented students into conservation careers.

National Wildlife Refuge System Wilderness Fellows

Hired through the American Conservation Experience, these fellows inventory key features and vulnerabilities of selected wilderness areas on refuges.

Wilderness Fellows: Fellows monitor wilderness character at various National Wildlife Refuges, working in diverse environments and engaging with local communities.

How to Find and Apply for Internships

Finding and applying for wildlife rehabilitation internships with housing requires research and preparation. Here are some tips:

Research Organizations

Identify organizations that offer wildlife rehabilitation internships with housing. Use online search engines, professional networks, and conservation directories to find potential opportunities.

Resources: Websites like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (fws.gov/careers) and volunteer.gov can provide information on internship and volunteer opportunities at national wildlife refuges.

Check Application Requirements

Carefully review the application requirements for each internship program. Prepare a resume, cover letter, and any other required documents, such as transcripts or letters of recommendation.

Treehouse Wildlife Center: Requires a completed Internship Application, a resume, and a one-page essay explaining your interest in interning with them.

Highlight Relevant Experience

Emphasize any relevant experience, such as animal handling, volunteer work, or coursework in biology, zoology, or environmental science.

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary: Prefers students working toward a degree in animal science, zoology, biology, and environmental sciences or recently graduated.

Apply Early

Submit your application well in advance of the deadline, as many internships have rolling admissions and fill up quickly.

General Advice: Rolling admission. Spots are filled as applications come in.

Prepare for the Interview

If selected for an interview, be prepared to discuss your interest in wildlife rehabilitation, your skills and experience, and your career goals.

General Advice: Research the organization and be ready to ask thoughtful questions about the internship program.

Challenges and Considerations

While wildlife rehabilitation internships with housing offer numerous benefits, there are also some challenges and considerations to keep in mind:

Physical Demands

Wildlife rehabilitation can be physically demanding, requiring long hours, heavy lifting, and working in various weather conditions.

Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary: Able to lift 50 pounds and work in inclement weather.

Emotional Toll

Working with injured and orphaned animals can be emotionally challenging, as not all animals can be saved.

General Consideration: Be prepared to cope with the emotional stress of working with animals in distress.

Limited Compensation

Some internships offer limited or no compensation, requiring interns to rely on savings or external funding sources.

General Consideration: Plan your finances accordingly and explore options for scholarships or grants.

Housing Conditions

Housing conditions can vary, ranging from shared rooms in dormitories to private apartments. Be prepared to adapt to different living arrangements.

Wolf Hollow: Our intern housing is co-ed and situated in an on-site 4 bedroom 2 bathroom manufactured home, which provides accommodation for up to 5 interns at one time. The housing includes a kitchen and laundry facilities. As this is a wildlife facility, pets are not allowed. We are unable to provide accommodation for guests.

Location

Internship locations may be in remote or rural areas with limited access to public transportation and amenities.

Wolf Hollow: Wolf Hollow is located in a rural area, 4 miles from the town of Friday Harbor. There is no public transportation system on the San Juan Islands, we provide bicycles for our interns to use and they may borrow a Wolf Hollow vehicle for essential errands. However, we suggest that interns bring a car if possible, so that they can more easily travel to town for supplies and explore the islands on days off.

Success Stories

Many individuals have launched successful careers in wildlife conservation after completing internships with housing. Here are a few examples:

Taylor Franklin

As an SCA intern at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Taylor Franklin gained experience in various conservation tasks and was inspired to pursue a masterâs degree in natural resource and wildlife conservation.

Quote: âThis internship may have changed my life in that it began my path to a career in conservation.â

Quanit S. Ali

Quanit Aliâs experience in the Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP) convinced him to pursue a career in conservation.

Quote: âThe internship convinced me â based on the things I did, the exposure I got [to conservation] â that I was on the right path. I got to see the whole picture.â

Ashley Suarez-Burgos

As a Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) intern, Ashley Suarez-Burgos used storytelling as a tool for conservation.

Quote: âThe best part of my fellowship is using storytelling as a tool for conservation.â

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