Captive Wild Animal Management Adviser (Voluntary)

Captive Wild Animal Management Adviser (Voluntary)

Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre (HWRC)

Hanoi, Vietnam

Job Description- Captive Wild Animal Management Adviser

Job Title: Captive Wild Animal Management Adviser (Voluntary)

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Period: 3 months

This is a voluntary appointment to be made in agreement with your current employer entering into a partnership with the stakeholders listed below to deliver the aims of the programme. Your employer’s contribution to this programme will be your time

Stakeholders: Hanoi Zoo, Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre, Animals Asia, Change for Animals Foundation, Wild Welfare

Proposed start date: As available

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre (HWRC) is a government-run wildlife rescue centre located about 40 Km outside Hanoi, and serves as a housing facility for animals confiscated from the wildlife trade. The daily operations (feeding, cleaning, etc.) are conducted by a team of local staff. The centre houses a large number, and variety, of wild animals, including: tigers, Asiatic Black bears, macaques, porcupines, various species of reptiles, civet cats, slow lorises, gibbons, etc.

Concerns:

There are significant concerns for the welfare of the animals housed in HWRC, currently the staff are not qualified to provide appropriate care to meet many of the needs of the large number, and variety, of wild animals – the animals are kept in inappropriate cages, with little or no enrichment and in some cases fed an inappropriate/ inadequate diet, resulting in poor psychological and physical states.  Animals Asia have an agreement with HWRC to work together to improve the welfare of the animals housed at the rescue centre.

Hanoi Zoo is a government-run zoo located in central Hanoi. Animals Asia has developed a positive relationship with Hanoi Zoo and have an agreement to improve the welfare of animals kept at the Zoo. In September 2013, Animals Asia, Change for Animals and Hanoi Zoo collaborated to organise the first ‘Shape of Enrichment’ workshop in Vietnam, delivered by Shape of Enrichment and Active Environments. A number of Captive wild animal management experts have volunteered their time at Hanoi zoo since April 2014 and significant improvements have already been achieved, but there is scope for much more. It is hoped that Hanoi Zoo could serve as a ‘model’ for how other collaborative relationships can be built and improvements for animals can be made that can be used to implement management procedures that meet the needs of captive wild animals, at other facilities housing wildlife throughout Vietnam.

2. OVERALL JOB PURPOSE:

To work as a consultant in Hanoi to develop and ensure the implementation of practical and sustainable improvements in animal management at HWRC and Hanoi Zoo through the provision of on-site training.

3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

To work in collaboration with the staff at HWRC and Hanoi Zoo, with support from Animals Asia and Wild Welfare and Change for Animals Foundation, to:

• Review existing animal management and husbandry protocols.

• Continue the work of previous ‘Captive Wild Animal Management Experts’ to develop improved animal management and husbandry protocols using a participatory approach; including enrichment calendars, feeding calendars to ensure varied and appropriate/ adequate diets for the various species, etc.

• Provide staff training on animal management and husbandry to improve captive animal welfare;

• Provide advice and support on the protocols for how the animals at HWRC are managed - e.g. protocols for animals suitable for re-release.

• Ensure agreed changes are understood by the staff and can be implemented beyond the scope of the programme.

• Advise on how modifications to existing buildings/ cages can be made inexpensively/ how existing buildings can be best used to improve the welfare of the animals housed within them.

4. PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualification/ Education/ Knowledge:

• Employed within a captive wild animal facility  (Essential)

• Degree in relevant subject (Desirable)

Experience:

• Experience in working in a captive wild animal facility  (E)

• Experience in working in a wildlife rehabilitation centre (D)

• Proven experience and expertise in enrichment and animal management (E)

• Experience of working in or with charity/NGO/voluntary sector  (D)

• Experience of working internationally or on projects with international application, (D)

Abilities/ Skills:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills (E)

• Experience of hosting/ facilitating workshops (D)

• Ability to work in partnership with key stakeholders and sustain strategic partnerships (E)

• Ability to effectively manage staff and physical resources (E)

• Circumstances, Ability to reside in Hanoi for the duration of the posting.

• Full support of employer to take on this three month role, (E)

 5. COSTS 

The travel costs to and from Hanoi must be met by you / or your employer

All other expenses with regards to travel in Hanoi, food and accommodation will be met by the stakeholders.

For further details and/or to send an application letter please write to David Neale at  dneale@animalsasia.org

Opportunities are year round.

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