The Zoo has a tremendous variety of animals. It is beautiful, set in acres of lush vegetation. The nature of your work will vary according to what is required every day and also the Zoo’s needs in general during the period of time that you’re there. This project is for animals lovers and people who don't mind hard work and getting their hands dirty.

PLACEMENT OVERVIEW

Location: Colombo / Ja-Ela Start dates: Available all year round, you choose your start and finishing dates. Duration: Minimum stay 1 week up to 3 months, subject to visa restrictions Requirements: No qualifications needed, just lots of enthusiasm, initiative and ideas, and the ability to be very proactive. Minimum age 17. Compensation: Unpaid Price: £795 for 1 week, ranging to £2,095 for 4 weeks. Full Price List and other Currencies      What's included: ►Arranging your Programme, ►Full pre-departure support and assistance, ►Payment Protection insurance ►Meeting you at the nearest airport/station ►All accommodation ►Food ►Transfer to the placement site ►In-country team support and backup ►24-hr emergency support ►Certificate of Completion. What's not included: Flights, travel insurance, cost of visa, return transfer to the airport.

Your work on this project will be reasonably varied and you'll also learn a lot about the different species and what animal care in a third world country involves. There is a vast number and variety of animals at the Zoo, currently (at time of writing) including 12 elephants, many different primates and chimps, hippos, giraffes, bears, seals, zebra, snakes, crocodiles, antelope, fish and various other animals. There is also a lone Orang Utan and an aquarium. WORK CONTENT:  Work starts early because a lot is done before opening time at 8.30. Below is a summary of current and potential work at the Zoo.  Much of the work involves cleaning out the animal cages so that they're kept comfortable and healthy. This usually takes place between 7.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m., before the Zoo opens - therefore, you need to be capable of early starts! Cleaning and feeding the primates Washing down the enclosures and refilling the animals' baths Feeding some animals (excluding any of the dangerous ones, such as crocodiles and possibly the big cats). Behavioural observation, plus on occasion caring for sick animals. Preparing the food Gardening to maintain the surroundings. Helping to build the children's play area. here are opportunities to learn about the different species and what is involved in animal care in a third world country. Although you'll help care for and feed some of the animals at the Zoo, your work with any big or dangerous animals will only be undertaken under close supervision. You will learn about enrichment programmes and implement projects of your choice ranging from building a hammock for the monkeys to stimulating the environments of the bears through food/smell enrichment techniques to rebuilding whole enclosures for the animals. Your presence at the zoo will make a real difference to the lives of some of these captive animals. Any hands-on contact with the animals will depend entirely on whether there are young or tame animals at the Zoo during your placement. There are times when the majority of work takes place behind the scenes in Zoo-keeper duties, observation, DIY work and enrichment projects. "There were various 'favourite' bits during the placement, including the bathing and scrubbing of the elephants in the pond at the zoo using a coconut shell. Where else would you be able to do something as amazing as that? However, for me, the hand feeding of the male hippo was the most exciting part - being that close to something usually deemed so dangerous! Also, during our free time we got to release some baby turtles back into the sea - one of those things that makes you feel so good inside - the work they are doing there is so selfless in a country that has so little money - it is very humbling. Overall, the closeness we got to the wildest of animals was something I will treasure forever." Mandy Whitten Other work duties may include the opportunity to help the local staff with their English so that they can better converse with tourists, visitors and international Zoological experts. The Zoo also needs to have the general information signs for visitors reproduced in good, accurate English, particularly signs which advise the public on how to treat the animals, warnings against littering (because the animals can choke on litter), feeding the animals, etc. You may also be asked to make yourself available in the Zoo grounds to answer general questions from Zoo visitors. These questions could be things like, “Can you tell me a little bit more about the chimpanzee,” “Where does the Orang Utan come from?” etc. Back to Top

ABOUT COLOMBO ZOO:
The Zoo is hailed in several guide books as one of Asia's best and most beautiful zoos. It is a quite a large zoo and usually takes visitors about 2 hours to see everything. One of the major attractions is the elephant shows that the Zoo holds with not less than 6 Indian elephants and another attraction is the beautiful butterfly park. 

Our project in Colombo Zoo has been running since 2002 and during this time, progress in improvements has been slow but steady, with lots of enclosure enrichment projects adding new elements to the quality of the animals' lives. When you apply for this project, we'll give you lots of ideas and suggestions for enclosure enrichment that you will be able to become involved with, or you may even be able to instigate your own ideas for projects that will improve the animals' quality of life.

“I'm thoroughly enjoying it and one of the high lights so far was being able to watch a giraffe giving birth! it was an amazing experience and well worth sitting in the rain for 4 hours for. Sounds like madness but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that we weren't going to miss.” Helenour Duke

The conditions in which some of the animals are kept are not very good and can be distressing. We have seen many improvements as a result of our volunteers' work, but we hope that in time our volunteers can make even more effective contributions to the animals’ welfare and have a positive influence on the conditions under which some of them live.

It is necessary to be aware of the work ethic in Sri Lanka and even more necessary to have patience with cultural differences. It can take a long time to get anything done in Sri Lanka and the speed of your progress may be halted by such things as language barriers, unexplainable delays and the general slow pace of the other local workers at the zoo. This is all part of the experience so please appreciate what you will come to know as ‘Sri Lanka time’ and work with it the best way you can.

This is an amazing opportunity to understand the behind-the-scenes workings of animal welfare in the uniquely laid back country of Sri Lanka. This is a real experience of working within ‘Sri Lanka time’ and of understanding a culture from the inside. Plus, you have an opportunity to change the lives of these animals. We are continuously working towards better standards of living for all of the animals and progress can be seen with each volunteer who wants to be involved.

"I am having the most incredible time here at the zoo. It is something that is very much changing my thoughts and perception of things."  Henal Chotai

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

• An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into South East Asia and the Sri Lankan culture.

• The enormous satisfaction of improving the quality of life of the animals and knowing that you made a difference to them.

• New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

• An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

• And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

COMBINE TWO OR MORE PLACEMENTS!
You can also combine a one-month placement in the Zoo with two months teaching conversational English in Ja Ela,
OR
One month at Sri Lanka's famous Elephant Orphanage and one month at the country's biggest Zoo. This way you get the best of both worlds ... or all three!

Enhance your Programme with some exciting activities:

Read Tim Kemp's Work Report - a description of his placement
 

Travellers Sri Lanka Director Roshan at the Zoo!