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WORK WITH ANIMALS AT COLOMBO ZOO IN SRI LANKA

Work with a variety of animals in a Zoo in the capital city of Sri Lanka. Here you'll assist in trying to raise the quality of life of the animals by improving the enclosures and keeping the animals mentally stimulated.

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.

SUMMARY FACTFILE
Start Dates All year round - you choose your start and finish dates!
Duration Minimum stay 2 weeks and up to 1 year, subject to visa requirements
Requirements No qualifications needed, just lots of enthusiasm, initiative and ideas.  You should be proactive and able to use your own initiative.
Price From £945 / US$1,420 for 2 weeks, ranging to £1,995 / US$2,995 for 8 weeks. Full Price List and other Currencies
What's included Accommodation Food Meeting you at the Airport Transfer to your accommodation Full pre-departure support Local in-country team support and backup 24-hr emergency support Two free T-shirts.
What's not included Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and assistance).
Who can do this Project? All our projects are open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+

Also on this page:

PROJECT OVERVIEW
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.

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!

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

WORK CONTENT:
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 animal lovers and people who don't mind hard work and getting their hands dirty. 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.

  • For people with an interest in animals, there 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 and will always be at the discretion of the zoo supervisors. At present there are no young animals at the zoo after the sad loss of a baby giraffe recently. Your work at present will therefore be concentrated 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, both local and foreign. 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.

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

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
O
ne 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!

    .About Sri Lanka and the teaching, work excperience and conservation voluntary projects you can do there with Travellers
Hands-on conservation work at Colombo Zoo in Sri Lanka with Travellers Voluntary Projects




OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
1-Wk Elephant Orphanage
Meditation Course
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Volunteer Feedback
Photo Galleries
Diary of Life in Sri Lanka



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

Volunteer Jennie Elliott with the leopard cub - fast asleep!

ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN SRI LANKA:


Travellers Sri Lanka Director Roshan at the Zoo!

MAP OF SRI LANKA

We cannot BEGIN to tell you how beautiful this paradise island is! Nor how cheap to live and get around.  It is almost too good to be true! But it is true.  And there are so many fascinating places to visit.  The tea plantations are a must, the lace making, monuments and architectural splendours,  etc., but the most appealing is the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala.

Accommodation:
Travellers has a traditional Sri Lankan house in Ja-Ela. It has marble floors and 13 bathrooms! It is spacious and comfortable, with a garden, several balconies, two lounge rooms and many bedrooms. You will most likely share a room with other Travellers volunteers. There is a TV and DVD player for evening entertainment, in the upstairs lounge area and with the latest DVD copies just a pound to buy locally, there is usually something to watch!

A chief will cook all your meals and we have other staff at the house 24 hours a day for cleaning, assistance, security and comfort.

Teaching, Work Experience and the Colombo Zoo placements are all based in Ja-Ela and so the house is often full and offers a lively, sociable atmosphere – there is usually no shortage of friends to spend weekends at the beach with! Ja-Ela volunteers also have the advantage of easy access to Colombo’s facilities, major bus stations and also the Airport Gardens Hotel - a luxury hotel which offers facilities that include a fantastic swimming pool. The hotel is only a short trip away from the volunteer house: perfect for those lazy afternoons!

There is a local live-in cook at the Travellers house who will prepare your breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, throughout the week. The food is usually local cuisine which means lots of curry, rice and salads. Whether a curry fan or not, you will be by the time you return as Sri Lankan food is delicious! You can buy snacks and treats, including a growing variety of Western tastes (chocolate!) from the local store. There is also a KFC in Ja-Ela for those who need a fix of home.

The area of Ja-Ela is an industrialised town and although it is not one of the paradise beauty spots, it's a good point at which to start your exploration of the island's many beaches and beautiful inland resorts.

 

TRAVEL:

You will fly into Sri Lanka where you'll be met at Colombo Airport by our Sri Lanka Manager, Roshan Perera, and taken to your placement. Roshan will make you feel welcome from the first moment you meet; he is a delightful person, laid back yet extremely efficient, and has become a friend-for-life to many of our volunteers!

You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

VISAS: In countries where visas are required, we'll send you all the necessary forms and information and make the process very easy for you.  

Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket.

To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

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Last modified: July 30, 2010