Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is located in Glen Rose, Texas, and contains a wide variety of animals. Glen Rose is known as the Dinosaur Capitol of Texas, so be sure to check out the fossilized footprints.
The following is copied directly from their website: http://www.fossilrim.org/interns.php.
Start Your Career With U[]
Fossil Rim invests in the future by providing formalized training to foster talented young people into the professions of wildlife conservation and education, veterinary medicine, and the care and husbandry of wildlife. Many of dedicated, intelligent and hardworking Fossil Rim interns go on to work in the zoo, wildlife and conservation fields. Providing quality hands-on conservation training is one of the efforts of which Fossil Rim is most proud.
Wildlife Conservation Internship[]
At least 21 years of age and two or more years of undergraduate college work in wildlife management, conservation biology or a related scientific discipline. You must also have a valid driver's license.
Wildlife Conservation Internships
Spring/Summer March 1 – July 31
Fall Sept. 1 – Nov. 30
Housing and stipend are available
As a Wildlife Conservation Intern you can learn about environmental education, wildlife conservation, working with children and how to provide a diversity of compelling learning experiences through public education. At Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, you will work with camps, schools, families and other audiences, presenting a variety of education programs. You will also give guided tours, which explore our 9.5 mile Scenic Wildlife Drive. Interns help care for the program animals: snakes, tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, a hedgehog, and an opossum with more to be added. This wide variety of teaching opportunities and educational training provides the Wildlife Conservation Intern with an exciting array of new skills and experiences.
Your contact person for Wildlife Conservation Internship is:
Director of Education
Education Department
2155 County Road 2008
Glen Rose, TX 76043
Fax: (254) 897-3785
Animal Care Internships[]
At least two years of undergraduate college work in wildlife management, conservation biology, or a related scientific discipline. You must also have a valid driver's license.
Animal Care Internships
Spring: January – May
Summer: May – August
Fall: September – December
Housing and stipend are available
The Whitfield Collins Carnivore Intern[]
The Whitfield Collins Carnivore Intern is given the day to day responsibility of several groups of animals. These include, but are not limited to: Mexican wolves, red wolves, maned wolves and coatimundi. Intern will be required to assist with hand raising of neonates when necessary.
Duties will include:
Preparation and feeding of diets; purchase and/or ordering of diets and supplies; clean up, maintenance, and stocking of food preparation room; monthly diet inventory report; general cleaning and maintenance of animal enclosures and grounds; general monitoring of animal health and well being; specific veterinary procedures (monthly worming, fecal sample collection, administration of medications, etc.); behavioral observations as needed; participation in enrichment projects; daily record keeping; completion of expenditure forms; and completion of independent project.
Children's Animal Center Internship[]
If you want an internship that gives you experience with a wide array of animals then the Children’s Animal Center internship is for you! When you think of a Children’s Animal Center images of goats arise, and we do have goats…Nubian and Pygmy, but that’s not all! We have birds such as our Blue and Gold Macaws, Eclectus Parrot, an Emu named Einstein, Bare-eyed and Moluccan Cockatoos. Or maybe reptiles are more your fancy? We have African Spurred and Texas Tortoises. And at times there will be wolves to care for, too.
Some of your responsibilities include, but are not limited to: the daily cleaning and upkeep of the Children’s Animal Center, diet preparation, interacting with the public, and helping vet staff with the Children’s Animal Center animals. You’ll also get to participate in enrichment and training with the various animals and help out Fossil Rim by putting together an independent project to be completed by the end of your internship. The Children’s Animal Center is located exactly half way through the park drive at the Overlook which means you get to drive past Zebra, Giraffe, Ostrich, and much more everyday on your way to work in your personal work vehicle! Children’s Animal Center internships are offered in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of each year.
The Black Rhino Keeper Internship[]
The Black Rhino Keeper Intern is given the day to day responsibility of the Black Rhino herd.
Duties will include:
Preparation and feeding of diets; cleaning and maintenance of the Black Rhino barn, yards and mechanical room; stocking of feed, hay, alfalfa and produce; monthly inventory reports, daily reports for feed consumption, health notes and training schedules; general monitoring of animals’ health and welfare; specific veterinary procedures (quarterly worming, fecal sample collection, assist with blood collection, ultrasound procedure, semen collection and administration of medications); behavioral observations as needed; participation in enrichment projects; and completion of independent project during internship.
Avian Internship[]
The Avian Internship is focused around the breeding season of the highly endangered Attwater’s Prairie Chicken. This breeding program is paramount in the reintroduction and recovery of this grouse species. In addition to the daily feeding routines, interns take part in cleaning equipment and enclosures, making visual observations, recording embryonic and chick development, and coordinating daily assessments and treatments with the veterinary staff. Healthy chicks are then slotted for future breeding seasons or for the annual U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service release program.
Resumes are accepted year-round for this position but interviewing is conducted between October and January. Applicants must be available from early March through July – August. Candidates should have an interest in and dedication to wildlife preservation. Strong communication and organization skills are necessary as well as attention to fine details. Being able to work independently but in a team atmosphere is also required. Similar to the other internships at Fossil Rim, on-site housing and transportation are provided.
Contact for all Animal Care Internships:
Intern Coordinator
Animal Care Department
2155 County Road 2008
Glen Rose, TX 76043
Fax: (254) 897-3785
Animal Health Veterinary Preceptorship[]
Veterinary preceptorships are available to senior level veterinary students for a 6 to 8 week period. Our preceptorship program emphasizes field immobilization techniques, preventive medicine, conservation-oriented research and an international perspective.
A letter of interest detailing your background and career goals, your curriculum vitae, the names of two people (with their phone numbers and email) we can contact as professional references and a prioritized list of three 6 to 8 week blocks of time which would be feasible for you.
Housing and stipend are available
Your contact person for Animal Health Internship is:
Director of Animal Health
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
2155 County Road 2008
Glen Rose, TX 7604