City Wildlife’s internship program is closed for 2024.
City Wildlife’s Internship Program offers college and graduate students the opportunity to play an important role in the care, rearing, and rehabilitation of orphaned and injured wild animals. Over the course of 10 to 12 weeks, City Wildlife interns have the opportunity to shadow our wildlife veterinarian and rehabilitation staff members and learn the natural history and husbandry of the animals in our care.
Interns may be trained in specialized animal care depending on previous experience and skill set. Training may include handling animals, feeding small mammals and birds, and assisting with animal releases. Typically, we see baby birds of all species in the spring and summer, baby squirrels in the spring and late summer, and sick and injured adult wild animals (including most of our raptors) in fall and winter. Exact dates of an internship are somewhat flexible to accommodate students’ academic schedules.
At the completion of an internship, most interns:
- Are knowledgeable about the natural history of several of the animals species that come into our care
- Are able to identify dozens of wild bird, mammal, and reptile species native to the District of Columbia
- Are able to offer constructive advice on how to deal with and defuse human-wildlife conflicts
- Gain experience assisting with basic animal physical examinations and medical treatments
Requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must commit to work 20 to 40 hours per week for at least 10 consecutive weeks during the season
- Provide own transportation
- Can lift up to 40 pounds
- All City Wildlife internships are unpaid
