Saving Wildcats is looking for an ex-situ volunteer!

Saving Wildcats is a partnership project lead by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), dedicated to Scottish wildcat conservation and recovery, aiming to prevent the extinction of wildcats in Scotland by breeding and releasing them into the wild.

We are looking for a volunteer to assist the animal management team at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland‘s Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig with activities related to animal husbandry preparation, animal enrichment, animal observations and enclosure refurbishing. The volunteer will also have the opportunity to shadow and learn from experienced keepers directly and provide support within our conservation breeding for release centre.

You will learn about the conservation issues affecting wildcats and the actions being taken to prevent their extinction, including the establishment of the first dedicated conservation breeding for release centre for wildcats in the UK. You will gain direct practical experience of wildcat animal management practices, wildcat observations, and behaviour development techniques. We're looking for an enthusiastic individual with an interest in wildcats and species restorations, comfortable with outdoor working and good practical abilities and a desire to learn animal management skills and approaches.

Volunteering will give you the opportunity to contribute directly towards conservation efforts for the critically endangered wildcat in Scotland, as part of the RZSS Saving Wildcats project team. You will learn about the conservation issues affecting wildcats and the actions being taken to prevent their extinction, including the first dedicated Conservation Breeding for Release Centre (CBRC) for wildcats in the UK and the field programme to assess the release sites, mitigate the threats, and monitor the releases. You will gain direct practical experience of wildcat animal management practices, wildcat observations, and behaviour development techniques.

You will be provided with local accommodation, discounted lunch at the on-site café, and expenses of up to £50 per week. Transport to and from Highland Wildlife Park can be provided but personal means of transportation would be recommended, given that you will be responsible for providing your own transportation outside of working hours.

This position is from 8 April (earlier start dates also accepted) to 27 September 2024, with a minimum commitment of three months. Please advise your availability in the application.

RZSS is committed to being fair, open and inclusive. We believe that RZSS benefits from the involvement of volunteers from diverse cultures, perspectives and experiences. We accept people of all genders, races, disabilities, ages, religious beliefs, and sexualities to be part of RZSS. We try to make our spaces and working conditions as accessible as possible and welcome requests to accommodate the individual. We expect our volunteers to adhere to the Guidelines on Equality and Diversity upon induction and throughout their time volunteering to us.

Find out how to apply.