Opportunities From: Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Interns will be able to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of these species and interact with guests. Interns will learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, operant conditioning training, enrichment, animal restraint, and species management.

The start date is normally within the first 2 weeks of the first month of the internship and it is a 3-month, 16 hours per week unpaid internship.

Interns are supervised by animal care staff within the department; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including the creation of enrichment items and participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to various animals ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Assignments and opportunities that are available to animal department interns are based on individual progress during the internship.

Animal Department Internship encompasses a wide variety of species and is dependent on the department selected. Interns will be able to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of these species and interact with guests. Interns will be able to learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, operant conditioning training, enrichment, animal restraint, and species management.

Provide support to the Animal Department staff in daily animal care duties. Allow qualified individuals the opportunity to gain professional hands-on experience. Promote an opportunity to gain a strong understanding of potential careers in animal husbandry, research, and conservation.

Animal Department interns are supervised by animal care staff within the department; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including the creation of enrichment items and participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to a wide variety of species. Assignments and opportunities that are available to an intern are based on individual progress during the internship.

This position involves a lot of walking and lifting. Time outdoors is expected in all different weather conditions, including heat, humidity, rain, or dust. It may also involve considerable physical exertion such as climbing, reaching, assuming awkward positions, repetitive motions, and lifting and/or moving heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) on a regular basis. Due to the nature of this environment, interns will have some public contact requiring considerable communication skills.

For questions about our internship programs please email volunteers@centralfloridazoo.org

BOTANCIAL GARDENER VOLUNTEER POSITION OVERVIEW

Botanical Gardener volunteers work closely with our horticulture team to maintain our botanical gardens. We have over 5 gardens with several unique plants all throughout the Zoo that attract pollinators and create a beautiful ambiance on grounds. Botanical Gardeners will assist in landscaping, gardening, invasive plant removals, and more. This is the perfect volunteer program if you enjoy working outdoors, plants, and beautifying our Zoo!

This internship position includes assisting the Zoo Teacher education team with education programs at the Zoo. Our exciting education programs offer students a wide variety of fun and interesting topics to learn about, including endangered species, careers in zoos, animal adaptations, Florida wildlife, island animals, and much more!

Duties will include setting up programs, supervising students, assisting Zoo Teachers with program activities, and clean up. As part of assisting the Zoo Teacher team with teaching duties, the internship will also include training to work with program animals in the Education Department.

This position involves walking, standing, and potentially lifting. Time outdoors is expected in all different weather conditions, including heat, humidity, rain, or dust. It may also involve considerable physical exertion such as climbing, reaching, assuming awkward positions, repetitive motions, and lifting and/or moving heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) on a regular basis. Due to the nature of this environment, Education interns will have a lot of public contact requiring considerable communication skills.

For questions about our education internship programs please email dawnd@centralfloridazoo.org

Log your hours under this category if you volunteered for something that wasn't on your schedule.

This link was shared with you so you can register for an upcoming scheduled project day with your team! Below is some information on what to expect, but please make sure to register for this opportunity here to ensure you are signed up and have your release form signed.

To sign up as a team and have your members sign up under your team, please follow the instructions below:

Below is some additional information about preparing for your upcoming group project and a little about us, as an organization!

The Zoo is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit that is an affordable family experience supported by private donations and gate admission. We are one of a small number of private, non-profit, Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoos in the country, which requires that we maintain the highest standards in animal welfare, conservation, education, veterinary care, and more. We bring the world of animals to our guests who may never have the opportunity to see these animals in the wild and we are dedicated to the preservation and conservation of animals worldwide. To be able to make the impact we do, we rely on volunteers like you.

Your group could be assisting with a variety of projects, including assisting with events, making animal enrichment, invasive plant removal, painting, building, refurbishing animal habitats, and more! So, plan to dress for the occasion and dress comfortably according to the weather. We require that you all wear closed-toe shoes and bring water! We have gardening gloves for volunteer use, but you are welcome to bring your own to use as well. The Zoo has great food services on the property, so if you would like to order food for your group while you are here, please let me know so I can assist in coordinating that for you. After you are done volunteering at the Zoo, you are welcome to enjoy exploring the Zoo that day for free as our thank you for all your hard work!

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is hosting our annual Hippity Hop on April 4th! This is our annual Spring-themed event. We will have treat stations, exciting activities, an appearance from the Easter Bunny, special enrichment for the animals, local vendors, and more!

We will need about 40 volunteers each day to make this event possible that will be assisting with treat stations, greeting, welcoming, and directing guests. We ask that  volunteers be able to volunteer for the entire day from 8:00am-4:00pm. At this time, we are looking for volunteers who can attend the entire day. We will provide breaks for you and we have some great food sold on property at the Zoo if you need lunch to be purchased. Guests, staff, and volunteers will all be welcome to celebrate wearing family-friendly spring-themed clothes that are appropriate to the weather.

We do allow children ages 13 and up to volunteer. However, if they are under 18 years old, we will need 1 chaperone per every 1-2 children because we want to make sure they have an adult with them at all times.

What might you be doing at Hippity Hop?

We welcome both individual sign-ups AND teams! To sign up as a team, please follow the instructions below:

It'll be so much fun, and we'd love to celebrate with you! Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

Interns will be able to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of Eastern indigo snakes, striped newts, and other Florida Native reptiles. Interns will learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, animal restraint, and species management.

The start date is normally within the first 2 weeks of the first month of the internship and it is a 3-month, 16 hours per week unpaid internship.

Interns are supervised by animal care staff; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to various animals, including Eastern indigo snakes, striped newts, and other Florida native reptiles. Assignments and opportunities available to interns are based on individual progress during the internship.

Interns will be able to learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, animal restraint, and species management.

Provide support to the OCIC staff in daily animal care duties. Allow qualified individuals the opportunity to gain professional hands-on experience. Promote an opportunity to gain a strong understanding of potential careers in animal husbandry, research, and conservation.

OCIC interns are supervised by animal care staff; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to a wide variety of species. Assignments and opportunities available to an intern are based on individual progress during the internship.

This position involves a lot of walking and lifting. Time outdoors is expected in all different weather conditions, including heat, humidity, rain, or dust. It may also involve considerable physical exertion, such as regularly lifting, reaching, assuming awkward positions, repetitive motions, and lifting and/or moving heavy objects (up to 50 pounds). Due to the nature of this environment, interns will have some public contact requiring considerable communication skills.

For questions about our OCIC internship program, please email nickc@centralfloridazoo.org

Applications will be accepted February 1st - April 15th annually

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Teen Team, teenagers ages 13 to 17, can make new friends, learn something new, and play a vital role in educating Zoo visitors. Teens will receive special hands-on training, including educating the public about conservation, presenting wildlife biofacts, and handling animals. They’ll participate in special events and share their new knowledge on wildlife and conservation issues with guests, learning the skills they’ll need later in life and gaining valuable work experience.

We bring on new Teen Team volunteers once a year. The annual process starts in February when we open applications, where applications remain open for two months. You will be able to complete the application by responding to this opportunity. Three required documents need to be attached to the application, and those documents will be available on the application when it opens.

Teens must apply for the Teen Team program and complete an interview on a pre-scheduled interview date. If selected, teens must attend a multi-day training program and pass a final exam. Training classes will be during the summer, on the weekends. Upon successful completion of training, teens volunteer on select Saturdays and Sundays each month. During Summer break, teens may have the opportunity to volunteer on weekdays by assisting with Summer Camp.

The Teen Team program is designed to foster independence, professionalism, and responsibility in teens. Our program is designed to provide a healthy boost to teens’ self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. While parental support is important, it’s crucial that teens take the initiative in managing their volunteer commitments just as they would in a paid position. This means they should be the primary contact for communications and be proactive in handling their schedules and responsibilities.

Please have your teen to fill out the application themselves, have them use their own email and phone number in the application, and encourage them to communicate directly with Volunteer Services staff. This experience is not only about volunteering but also about growing into responsible, professional, and self-sufficient young adults.

The application and onboarding process is as follows:

Questions? Email Volunteer Services at volunteers@centralfloridazoo.org

Our Youth Ambassador volunteer program is for high school students in 9th – 12th grade who want to complete volunteer hours for graduation, scholarships, courses, or club requirements at the Zoo. This program is approved for scholarships like the Florida Bright Futures scholarship. Students will volunteer by interacting with Zoo guests at various activity stations using animal-related biofacts and activities. This is a fun opportunity for those who enjoy talking and interacting with people.

This program is best suited for students who are looking to earn a minimum of 50 hours. It is a self-scheduled program with regular shifts starting at  2-hour increments.

We onboard new Youth Ambassador volunteers approximately every other month. We send out invites to attend an orientation and training session about one month before the scheduled date. These sessions occur on either Saturdays or Sundays. If accepted as a Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens volunteer, an initial volunteer orientation training session is required before beginning volunteer service. Completing on-the-job training and an introductory period is also required before full acceptance into the Youth Ambassador volunteer position.

Our teen programs are designed to foster independence, professionalism, and responsibility in teens. The program is designed to provide a healthy boost to teens’ self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. While parental support is important, it’s crucial that teens take the initiative in managing their volunteer commitments just as they would in a paid position. This means they should be the primary contact for communications and be proactive in handling their schedules and responsibilities.

Please have your teen fill out the application themselves, have them use their own email and phone number in the application, and encourage them to communicate directly with Volunteer Services staff. This experience is not only about volunteering but also about growing into responsible, professional, and self-sufficient young adults.

Questions? Email Volunteer Services at volunteers@centralfloridazoo.org

For logging hours or checking in external (episodic) volunteers for events