Wildlife Keeper

**Status**: Seasonal, Full time

**Location**:Scarborough (Rouge Park), possibly Toronto (Downsview Park) for training

**Reports To**:Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager

**Start Date**:Spring/Summer 2023

**Commitment**:4-6 month contract

**Salary**:Starting at $15.50 per hour

**Position Summary**:
Students will care for native wildlife at our 2 Rouge Park locations, where animals are housed in an indoor hospital setting as well as in outdoor pre-release cages. Duties would include cleaning of enclosures, preparing diets and feeding animals, hand-feeding orphan squirrels, assisting with medical treatments, and monitoring the progress of wildlife in the final stages of rehabilitation. In addition, students will assist with the day-to-day running of this facility - maintaining supplies, cage repairs, training volunteers, etc. Students may have the ability to assist with building new release cages and den boxes. Researching behaviour, diet, and habitat for native wildlife species may also be part of their responsibilities.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:

- Upholds a positive, professional, and safe working environment at all times
- Provides daily care to wildlife patients at our Rouge Park location, including but not limited to cleaning, weighing, nutritional, caging, enrichment and any other special needs.
- Adheres to feeding schedules and meeting other wildlife care needs as they arise.
- Administers prescribed treatments and medications according to policies.
- Maintains wildlife care charts.
- Cleans and maintains facility daily.
- Assists with cage building, repair and maintenance e.g. minor carpentry
- Ensures satisfactory completion of all daily tasks.
- Assists Wildlife Care Supervisors in moving wildlife through the rehabilitation process in a timely and successful manner.
- Assists with patient transfers between facilities including cage set-up and other needs.
- Takes a leadership role in training and providing direction to volunteers when needed.
- Handles wildlife in a manner that maximizes human and wildlife safety while minimizing stress to wildlife at all times.
- Handles wildlife in the appropriate manner to minimize the risk of contraction of zoonotic disease. Able to train volunteers to do as well.

**Position Requirements**:

- Must be available for weekends
- Previous animal experience strongly preferred
- Pre-exposure Rabies vaccines mandatory
- Access to a vehicle to drive between facilities an asset

**Skills and Abilities**:

- Strong interpersonal skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Able to work well with a large and varied team
- Strong attention to detail and organization skills
- Able to follow instructions and protocols well and work with mínimal supervision

**Please note**:Toronto Wildlife Centre is considered an essential workplace and adheres to Toronto Public Health’s COVID-19 Guidelines for Businesses & Community Organizations