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Florida Wildlife Sanctuary Volunteer
The main focus of this wildlife sanctuary is to give lifetime care to abused, confiscated, neglected or unwanted exotic animals. Resident animals range from big cats, such as cougars, leopards and tigers to wolves, primates, bears and native American animals. Volunteers have the opportunity to care for the animals in the sanctuary’s beautiful and tranquil surroundings.
Project Age Limit
Minimum 21 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health
The Volunteer Project
The Wildlife Sanctuary is dependent on volunteers to support the centre and help care for the orphaned, injured and rescued animals. During your time at the sanctuary, some of the activities you may be involved in include animal care, cleaning cages, food preparation and feeding, cage construction, fundraising, data entry, grounds maintenance, sorting fresh produce and rotating food supplies and enrichment.
The centre needs volunteers to carry out duties wherever needed. If you have a certain skill such as mechanics, landscaping, carpentry or maintenance you will have the opportunity to work using these skills during your time at the sanctuary. Occasionally you may have the chance to assist with tour groups to help educate the public about why wild animals are not good pets, animal endangerment and extinction.
Please note: Animals at the sanctuary are often rescued from conditions that do not make them accustomed to human interaction and therefore require special handling by experienced individuals. Interaction with animals is in a safe manner; feeding or enrichment and does not necessarily involve physical contact with the animals.
Project Support
Throughout your stay in Florida you will have the support and guidance of the staff onsite. They will provide you with competent assistance and help you with any questions or advice you may need during your stay. In addition, you will receive an emergency contact for onsite staff when you arrive and we will provide you with a 24 hour emergency contact number before you depart, so that you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.
Project Orientation
When you arrive at the project you will have a day to settle in and you will be given a detailed orientation.
Volunteers will receive an orientation including:
• Basic animal care techniques
• Formula & diet preparation
• Proper bedding and housing
• Enrichment
• Cleaning
• Maintenance
• Safety procedures and regulations
• Training within the area you will be working Accommodation & Meals
You will be staying in shared living quarters either in small cabins or static caravans on the sanctuary grounds. The accommodation is basic but comfortable with private bathrooms with hot showers, electricity, air conditioning, TV, DVD and VCR. Linen will be provided. Laundry facilities and a full kitchen are available in the main house. There is an onsite phone that you can be used with a prepaid phone card.
Female volunteers generally stay in the cabins while male volunteers are accommodated in the static caravans. Meals are home-cooked in the fully equipped kitchens in the main house or in the volunteers’ quarters and most of the cooking and cleanup duties are rotated among participants. Vegetarian or vegan meals are available upon request.
If you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Alicia Hunt at the Real Gap office on 01892 516 164 or email alicia.hunt@realgap.co.uk
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