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Voluntary Opportunities: Wildlife Work and Animal Care

man's hands holding a baby rabbit (image: Lubos Houska / Pixabay)

Wildlife Work and Animal Care voluntary roles: wildlife projects dealing with one specific species, working with animals such as wildlife hospital workers. also animal handling e.g. zoos and aviculture.

Advertise your voluntary roles here.

Please remember to contact only the organisation or person mentioned in the ASK section and please mention that you saw the advert with CJS.    
Explanation of the headings here.

here

JOB: 6 x Volunteer Sheep Lookers
BE4: 10-05-2024
IV:
LOC: South Lanarkshire
PAY:
FOR: Scottish Wildlife Trust

Come and help us monitor our conservation grazing flock at our Cander Moss reserve near Kirkmuirhill, South Lanarkshire. As part of good animal husbandry we are looking for volunteers to provide a daily check on our flock and to report any issues. Opportunities are flexible and will take up to 1 hour per visit. BUT You should be available for one shift per week. Own transport, some basic fitness and commitment to the project are the most important aspects. ASK Please see volunteer page of our website for more details: https://c-js.co.uk/3yPwNhW

JOB: Residential Volunteer - West Sedgemoor, Somerset
BE4: ASAP
IV: --
LOC: West Sedgemoor, Near Taunton, Somerset
PAY: Accommodation (including bills), appropriate training will be provided
FOR: RSPB

6 months - 1 Year. RSPB Sedgemoor Reserves in Somerset are special places with important habitats, including flower rich grassland and woodland. One priority habitat is lowland wet grassland which provides a home for a range of wetland species including lapwing, redshank, curlew, snipe and many other species declining outside reserves. We are looking for an enthusiastic residential volunteer to join the team for a minimum of 6 months, managing the internationally important reserves. You will play an essential part delivering the reserve work programme and implementing the reserve management plan so that the reserve is managed to its full potential. You will undertake habitat management work on lowland wet-grassland and deciduous woodland. Full training will be provided as appropriate. Depending on the season it may include work with, ATV, 4WD, tractors and livestock handling. This is an excellent chance to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation and get on the ladder towards a career. Apply: https://c-js.co.uk/3vjKibR

JOB: Lifeline Foster Carer
BE4: Ongoing
IV:
LOC: Home-Based
PAY:
FOR: Cats Protection Lifeline

3 hours per day. Volunteering as a cat fosterer for our Lifeline service is a great way to give cats whose families are fleeing domestic abuse a loving, temporary home, until they can be reunited with their owner. We’re currently looking for Lifeline fosterers across England, Wales and Scotland. By fostering with Lifeline, you’ll be helping us to support someone in need of a temporary home for their cat. We’ll cover all costs so all you need to do is provide a loving home for your foster cat and send us lots of photos so we can give their owner updates. Fostering with our service is completely confidential, so you won’t actually know anything about the owner and they also won’t know your identity either. All communication goes through our dedicated Lifeline team to maintain anonymity. Please contact lifelineeastanglia@cats.org.uk 03000120283.

JOB: Wildlife Volunteer
BE4: 31-08-2024
IV: --
LOC: Tunbridge Wells, Kent
PAY: Hands on experience with British wildlife, training and support provided.
FOR: Folly Wildlife Rescue

Volunteering opportunities for wildlife care available, working within our wildlife hospital cleaning and feeding a variety of British wildlife species including hedgehogs and small mammals, pigeons, garden birds, water fowl and more! Prior experience is not essential but an interest in wildlife and the natural world is key! Full training will be given on hospital protocols and animal handling. Minimum commitment of 4 hours per week minimum 3 months. Please contact Pru Scudder, pru@follywildliferescue.org.uk 07511899496.

JOB: Stables Volunteer
BE4: Ongoing
IV:
LOC: Carisbrooke Castle, Castle Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1XY
PAY: Training and travel costs
FOR: English Heritage

Come and join the best volunteer neighbourhood around – our Stables team at Carisbrooke Castle! You will help care for our team of donkeys, supporting with stable and field management and assisting with public talks and demonstrations. Completion of Donkey Welfare Training, including Donkey Care Levels 1 & 2. You can also expect recognition and appreciation for your contributions, reimbursement of reasonable travel costs, support to develop your skills further and a warm welcome on joining this fun team! Time: Flexible, voluntary. If this sounds like the role for you, please contact volunteer.enquiries@english-heritage.org.uk.

JOB: Wolf Research Project Volunteer
BE4: 02-04-2024
IV: --
LOC: Poland
PAY: High quality certified vocational training
FOR: Wild Areas Network

Volunteers welcome on Wolf Research Project in Poland, April 2024. You have an opportunity to support the work of top Polish scientific body - Polish Academy of Sciences. You will install and calibrate camera traps in the field, walking often through very pristine but difficult and swampy terrain. Your work will be complemented with our certified, hands-on course of professional camera trapping for wolf monitoring, wildlife conservation and management. We will stay in Puszcza Swietokrzyska Forest, based in a forester's lodge. It's an exciting experience for Professional Conservationists, Students and Nature Lovers. We offer HANDS-ON exchange of specialist knowledge and experience in field research abroad accompanied by our high-quality training. Time: 10 days. To apply: email us at info@wildareas.net and introduce yourself in few words, explaining why you are interested in the project and why we should choose YOU as a Participant. You will receive a detailed infosheet and application form. www.wildareas.net

JOB: Foulney Island Disturbance Volunteer
BE4: 01-04-2024
IV: --
LOC: Roa Island, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. LA13 0QL
PAY: Induction, training and travel expenses.
FOR: Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Want to play a vital role helping monitor and protect beach-nesting birds? With your help we can protect the Foulney Island tern colony long into the future! During breeding season 1 April - 15 August, we need disturbance volunteers to help the seasonal warden. Nest disturbance by dogs is the main issue for the ground nesting birds on Foulney. This is unique opportunity to learn more about coastal wildlife and improve your ‘people person’ skills. Duties include regular patrols to ensure no dogs allowed on Foulney and minimize damage caused to bird habitats. Speaking to members of public about tern project. One day per week from 9am-3pm, although dependent on tide. Find out more information about this role here. If this role is for you, then we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Volunteering Coordinator, at volunteering@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk , quoting ‘CJSFIDV’.

JOB: WWT Martin Mere Reserve Volunteer
BE4: 31-03-24
IV: --
LOC: Martin Mere, L40 0TA
PAY: This position is entirely voluntary and is therefore unpaid.
FOR: WWT Martin Mere

The reserve is over 500 acre of stunning habitats including wet grassland, reedbed, woodland and hedgerows. We manage each of the habitats to benefit the wildlife that relies on the reserve. 25% of wetland plants and animals are at risk. One of the best parts of volunteering on the reserve is seeing the results from the work we have done. This can be tawny owls using the boxes we’ve put up, Marsh Harriers nesting in the reedbed we managed or Common Terns nesting on the gravel we put out. We could not do this without volunteers. Volunteers play a crucial role in saving wetlands for wildlife and people. Time: 1 day per week. More information https://c-js.co.uk/3u0w7HY

JOB: Monitoring Assistant
BE4: May 2024
IV: --
LOC: Wales (Clwydian and Dee Valley AONB, Montgomeryshire and Bannau Brychieniog National Park)
PAY: Training provided and expenses where possible.
FOR: Curlew Connections Wales Project

The monitoring assistant will work in the respective area to monitor located curlew pairs, their behaviour and movements. Training will be provided for all aspects of the role and areas can be allocated to best suitable location and accessibility. Key elements: Visiting previous and potential sites to identify curlew territories. Regular visits to identified territories to monitor behaviour, understand territories, locate potential nesting sites. Collecting and reporting data. Developing and maintaining relationships with volunteers, landowners and farmers. Essential skills: An interest in conservation and a passion for wildlife. Enjoyment of working outdoors. Vehicle access. Desirable skills: Basic bird and animal ID skills (training will be provided). Previous experience (training will be provided). Knowledge of local area. Relationships with local community and landowners. This role is open to anyone that is interested, although currently capped at 20 individuals. Time: Flexible. For more information or to apply please email Katie - kappleby@gwct.org.uk

JOB: Survey Assistant
BE4: May 2024
IV: --
LOC: Wales (Clwydian and Dee Valley AONB, Montgomeryshire and Bannau Brychieniog National Park)
PAY: Training provided and expenses where possible.
FOR: Curlew Connections Wales Project

The survey assistant will work with the Curlew and People Officer in the respective area to conduct transect surveys, habitat assessments and bird surveys. Training will be provided for all aspects of the surveys. Completing transect surveys to determine signs of predators. Preforming habitat assessments. Determine curlew territories and behaviours. Collecting and reporting data. Developing and maintaining relationships with volunteers, landowners and farmers. Essential skills: An interest in conservation and a passion for wildlife. Enjoyment of working outdoors. Comfortable walking varied distances. Access to at least one of the three key project areas. Desirable skills: Basic bird and animal ID skills (training will be provided). Previous experience (training will be provided). Knowledge of local area. Relationships with local community and landowners. The role is open to as many people as are interested, although currently capped at 20 applicants for the time being. Time: Flexible. For more information or to apply please email Katie - kappleby@gwct.org.uk

JOB: Part time volunteers. Monitoring of breeding curlew
BE4: 01-07-2024
IV: --
LOC: All Wales
PAY: Contributions towards travelling expenses will be considered and training provided depending on location
FOR: Gylfinir Cymru - Curlew Wales

Gylfinir Cymru / Curlew Wales are fourteen different organisations working together for curlew in Wales Conservation Partnership | Curlew Wales The population of this iconic bird is in steep decline in Wales. Survey work is vital in finding curlew during the breeding season to allow conservation measures to be put in place. There are now projects to benefit curlew running throughout Wales. You will be volunteering alongside project staff and other dedicated individuals. Training will be available in many parts of Wales, depending on your location. Suitable for students looking to improve their bird identification skills, to gain further experience in the conservation sector or other individuals looking to help save curlew in Wales. Time: Ad hoc, weekdays or weekends. Please send an email to hello@curlewwales.org and we will be in touch to discuss which area of Wales is best for you.

JOB: Monkey Sanctuary Volunteer
BE4: Ongoing
IV: --
LOC: Looe, Cornwall
PAY: Accommodation / Food
FOR: Wild Futures

Wild Futures (Registered Charity 1102532) rescues and rehabilitates primates from the UK pet trade at our flagship project, The Monkey Sanctuary, in Looe, Cornwall. The Monkey Sanctuary is currently home to over thirty-five monkeys from five different species. Whilst our specialist primate caregivers are responsible for directly caring for the monkeys, we are looking for residential volunteers to come and help support us provide the very highest standards of care we take pride in. Tasks include enclosure cleaning; food prep; making enrichment items; gardening; and maintaining and cleaning the Sanctuary site. We are looking for short-term volunteers to join us for between 2 and 8 weeks throughout 2024. If you are interested in volunteering with us, or have any questions, please contact us via email: volunteer@wildfutures.org  We look forward to hearing from you!

JOB: Leckford Biodiversity Volunteers
BE4: 31-03-2024
IV: --
LOC: The Waitrose Farm, Leckford Estate, Stockbridge, Hampshire
PAY: Expand your knowledge and identification of local habitats and wildlife. Tools training and refreshments provided.
FOR: Waitrose & Partners

Leckford Estate spans 2800 acres of the Hampshire countryside and is made up of beautiful chalk downland, the famous River Test and water meadows, pockets of woodland and mixed farmland. As The Waitrose Farm, we are the only supermarket owned farm in the UK and are committed to working alongside nature, with an aim to enhance biodiversity through regenerative farming. We are looking for volunteers who would like the opportunity to assist the estate’s Biodiversity Officer with essential habitat management and wildlife monitoring of Leckford’s priority habitats. Practical conservation tasks: Scrub clearance on our SSSI’s, vegetation cut-backs around our grazing units, building nest boxes, hedge-laying and coppicing. Wildlife monitoring tasks: Group surveys for a range of species, including; brown hairstreaks, harvest mice and brown hares. Volunteer days are twice monthly on a Sunday from 10am. Please contact Kath Hernon, Biodiversity Officer, to express your interest kath.hernon@waitrose.co.uk

JOB: Sherbourne Valley, Wildlife Monitoring Volunteer
BE4: N/A
IV: --
LOC: Various locations throughout Coventry
PAY: Full Training Provided
FOR: Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

The Sherbourne Valley Project is run by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, with the aims of reconnecting the people of Coventry with the city’s river whilst helping to restore the river for wildlife. As a Wildlife Monitoring Volunteer, you will assist the Sherbourne Valley Project team with wildlife monitoring tasks, helping us to keep track of how well the wildlife is doing within the areas of the Sherbourne Valley. You will be helping to monitor the wildlife along the Sherbourne Valley, this may include identifying and counting invertebrates found in the river, counting birds or wild flowers and/or any other tasks associated with keeping track of wildlife within the area. Prior knowledge or experience of wildlife identification would be useful but not essential as training and guidance will be offered. Various times throughout the year. 1-4 hours per session. For more information and to apply: https://www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/become-volunteer

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