Malaysia Zoo Assistant

On the first day of your project you should report to the zoo office at the main entrance at 8am. Your task will be to take care of animals as a zookeeper assistant would. Working with the zoo team you will gain insight into zoo animal behaviour and take part in the “behind the scenes” action of maintaining the zoo. Towards the end of your project you maybe involved in a project planning for zoo enrichment and visitor education. These projects aim to improve the quality of life of the animals and win a deeper appreciation from visitors at the zoo and its furry guests.

During your volunteer work you may be involved in the following duties:

• Working with the zoo keeper
• Assist keeper in feeding
• Assist keeper in catching animals for veterinary, cleaning and maintaining purposes
• You will rotate working with different animals every two to four days
• Daily maintenance work
• Learn about animals behaviour in the zoo
• Hands on work with the zoo animals
• Feed orang-utans
• Involvement in zoo enrichment
• Involvement with education within the zoo for the visitors
• Help with building new exhibits and extensions to improve the zoo facilities
• Work as a zoo guide to school children and tourists
• Improve signage at the zoo
• Work hours from 8.00am to 5pm

The Zoo Keepers expect volunteers to show some initiative whilst working.

It is advisable to do some research into animals and their behaviour in the wild before arrival and perhaps visit a zoo before you depart, so you have some understanding of how they work. The zoo greatly appreciates volunteers coming up with new enrichment ideas. You must check with the zookeeper or supervisor before implementing the activity.

Volunteers will be able to interact with the animals under the supervision of the zookeeper or supervisor as these are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Health and safety is paramount at the zoo and the keepers take this very seriously.  

The work that is carried out at the zoo is broken into 3-4 parts:

Enrichment
The idea of enrichment is to stimulate the animals and improve their living conditions as much as possible to mimic their natural habitat.

• You can make fruit ice trays for the animals
• Buy special fruit to give a variation on diet
• Put branches from fig or fruit trees in their homes to observe behaviour
• Rope work - make this fun and varied for the animal
• Paint the interior of the ape or primate centre
• Take a look around the zoo and think of natural materials that could be used for enrichment

Examples of past volunteer ideas:

• Hanging paper from cages for orang-utans to play with
• Hiding fruit around cages to mimic their natural habitat

Education

There is an education centre and library at the zoo. Volunteers should learn as much as possible about the animals. You may be asked to guide and talk to school children about them. You may also be asked to prepare displays and information on them.

Husbandry
This involves cleaning cages and feeding. Cleaning is vital to the zoo, 100% hygiene is required to prevent diseases. You must be capable of cleaning up animal faeces - this can be extremely smelly!!

Construction
You may be asked to design and work on small construction projects to improve the night dens or enclosures of selected animals, this may include assisting in building new exhibits and extensions to improve the zoo facilities, or improving existing exhibits by adding furniture or painting. You will also be required to clean up after enrichment activities. 

Upon your arrival at the guesthouse you will have the chance to relax. You will have a 'meet and greet' with the other volunteers on your programme and a welcome lunch or dinner. Additionally you will have a brief orientation to welcome you to the country. In the orientation our Malaysian staff will inform you of the details of your placement and the duties involved, additional contact numbers that you may need to know, things to do and an introduction to Malaysian culture and life.

Your orientation will include the following:

• An induction to Malaysian values and culture
• Safety and health issues while in Malaysia
• Workplace etiquettes, ethics and other information prior to starting your project
• Transportation and money in Malaysia
• An induction to the region you will work in
• Local practices and food
• Places in Malaysia to visit during free time

You will be placed at the Zoo, situated 13km outside Kuala Lumpur.

The day after your arrival you will leave your guesthouse in Kuala Lumpur and travel to the Zoo, which is about 30 minutes drive from the centre of KL. When you arrive at the zoo you will check into your accommodation, unpack and unwind. You will meet your programme mentor and you will have a zoo orientation. You will be given a thorough health and safety talk a tour of the zoo and then you will go shopping for food etc. You will begin working with the animals the following day.

Due to a staff shortage and turnaround in the Zoo, you will not be able to work in the elephant area.  

Day 1: Arrival and Welcome
You will met upon arrival at the airport and then transferred to your twin share accommodation. You will enjoy a welcome dinner and briefing in the evening.

Overnight in Kuala Lumpur.

Day 2: Orientation
After breakfast, you will be transferred to your project site. Upon arrival, you will meet your programme coordinator who will show you to your accommodation and then take you on a short zoo orientation. You will be given a thorough health and safety talk, a tour of the zoo and then you will go shopping for food etc.

Overnight in the zoo.

Days 3 to 27: Project Days
A typical working day as a volunteer will start around 8am and finish around 5pm. Usually, weekends are given as off days. During your free time you may choose to explore other parts of Malaysia at your own expense or stay at the volunteer accommodation.

Overnight from days 3 to 27 in the zoo.

Day 28: Departure
Today you will leave the project, bid farewell to your new friends and transfer to the airport for your flight home or to continue with your travels.

Please note: Changes to the activities will occur subject to weather conditions, festivities, zoo and project requirements. Some or all of the above activities may or may not be included on your itinerary. Other activities not mentioned above may also be included on your itinerary subject to weather conditions, community and project requirements.