Park gets 3 new interns

The National Education

ONE might think that being an animal carer at a zoo or animal sanctuary is just a matter of handling animals and feeding them.
That isn’t so – there is more to it.
At the Port Moresby Nature Park, wildlife carers go through some serious training and learning sessions through the park’s annual internship programme in order to earn their place as a wildlife carer.
This quarter, the park has selected another three interns from various tertiary institutions to be part of its wildlife internship programme.
An all-female team – Daniella Kapi, Esther Hulum and Christobeth Audubo – are three interns who will undergo the internship programme for 12 weeks under the guidance of wildlife manager, Ishimu Bebe.
“We are happy to have another group of interns join us as we advocate for more young leaders to take up roles that would help protect our endemic wildlife,” Bebe said.
“These three interns will be placed in three rounds where
they care for mammals, birds and assist in food preparations for the animals.
“Internship programmes are one of the best ways to experience what it is like to be a wildlife carer and it’s always fully supported by the entire wildlife team so it is a great learning experience for the interns.”
Audubo, who is one of the interns from the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment, said: “I am happy to be an intern at the Nature Park as I get to apply the skills that I have learnt in the field that I graduated from.
“I am looking forward to learning as much as I can during my internship at the Port Moresby Nature Park.”
The park said there were many challenges accompanied with having the opportunity of working as a wildlife intern at a welfare-accredited zoo such as Port Moresby Nature Park. Some of these are:

  • PREPARING food for the animals, who all have different dietary requirements;
  • LEARNING how to care and observe the animals so all their welfare requirements are met;
  • MANAGING tasks when there are hundreds of animals to care for daily; and,
  • KNOWING the various species of animals.

It is due to the perseverance and passion that wildlife carers have for animals that some of these interns have come out successful in the internship programme, earning themselves full-time jobs as wildlife carers at the park.