Wildlife Husbandry Internship

Study animal behavior, provide daily care, learn applied conservation skills and support herd management of wildlife in large habitats that keep wildlife wild.  

Gain hands-on experience and launch your career in animal husbandry, learning conservation skills side-by-side with expert wildlife specialists at White Oak!  

Nestled along the St. Mary’s River in mixed wetland and forest habitats, White Oak is a working conservation facility with over 17,000 acres of land focused on species recovery, education, and habitat restoration. White Oak has an impressive track record of rehabilitation and reintroduction programs, including work with Florida grasshopper sparrows, Florida panthers, and Mississippi sandhill cranes. White Oak is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). 

Interns provide 40 hours of service per week, and must be available for the duration of the internship. Interns receive on-site housing and a monthly stipend. We are proud to have a high graduation rate of interns moving on to full-time roles as zookeepers or wildlife biologists with conservation organizations through this internship program. 

Career-Ready Skills & Learning Opportunities  

Interns are provided with a variety of projects designed to give the technical skills and knowledge that makes them well qualified candidates for a variety of roles across conservation facilities such as:  

• Animal husbandry skills including cleaning, feeding, diet prep, diet stocking and organization
• Knowledge of different animal behaviors, including identifying vocalizations, body language/postures, reproductive behaviors, and social dynamics
• Safe animal capture, hand restraint, and transportation
• Habitat maintenance including landscaping and fabrication
• Basic research skills in observation training, sample collection, note taking and reporting
• Medicating and tracking health outcomes of animals in collaboration with our veterinary team
• Observation of advanced veterinary care practices, procedures and necropsy
• Cross training on days off, or as opportunities arise

Rhino & Ungulate Team: 

Ossicones, antlers and horns, oh my! White Oak’s Rhino & Ungulate Teams care for a rainbow of species including white, black, and greater one-horned rhinos, giraffe, okapi, exotic equids and a variety of antelope and gazelle species. Interns learn animal care hands-on from day one, working with some of the largest populations of these imperiled species. 

Specialized skills in herd management, manual restraint, neonate care, animal introductions and animal body language are available to high-achieving interns in the program. 

Conservation and Recovery Department (CaRD):

Wild about winged things? White Oak’s CaRD team provides interns amazing experiences working with species recovery programs with a focus on avian species, including cranes, sparrow and cassowary species. Interns help with catch-ups, breeding programs, reintroduction work and more.  

Specialized skills in conservation, reintroduction programs, artificial incubation, research, controlled burn procedures and insect management are available to high-achieving interns in the program. 

Carnivore Team: 

Spots or stripes? Pick both! White Oak’s Carnivore Team cares for carnivores species such as Florida panthers and tigers, and manages one of the largest and most successful cheetah breeding programs in North America. Interns learn a variety of skills in carnivore care and behaviors.  

Specialized skills in animal identification, carnivore diet prep, breeding behaviors, shifting techniques, real-time problem solving and behavioral conditioning are available to high-achieving interns in the program. 

Elephant Team:

Do you feel at home with the herd? White Oak’s elephant team proudly cares for one of the largest populations of Asian elephants in the Western hemisphere. Interns should have a clear or growing interest in elephant husbandry and operant conditioning.  

Specialized skills in animal management, observing operant conditioning training sessions and bathing elephants, learning social dynamics and novel elephant behavior are available to high-achieving interns in the program. 

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must meet all requirements and submit all required materials 

• Preference for applicants with a strong career interest in animal husbandry, zookeeping, wildlife biology or similar job field
• Preference for recent college graduates or early career professionals
• Hold a valid driver’s license and health insurance
• Able to pass a drug test upon starting
• Legally able to work in the United States (US Citizen, Permanent Resident, or hold an Employment Authorization Document)
• Able to work well independently and in a team environment
• Able to work evenings, weekends and holidays
• Have previous experience working with animals, domestic or exotic (internships and/or volunteer work counts!)
• Experienced and comfortable working outside in high heat and humidity
• Strong attention to detail and data management skills
• High drive to learn, take on challenges, and stay motivated
• Be flexible to changing environments, priorities, or animal care needs
• Able to lift 50 lbs. repetitively, and remain standing, walking or crouched over for long periods of time
• Able to work 40 hours per week for the duration of the internship