Animal Behavior Intern

Turtle Back Zoo

Animal Behavior Intern

Internship: Animal Behavior & Welfare Monitoring

Location: Turtle Back Zoo - West Orange, NJ

Duration: 120 hour commitment

Status: Unpaid / Educational / For-Credit Eligible

Program Overview

The Animal Behavior Internship at Turtle Back Zoo offers students a specialized educational track in Ethology and Welfare Science. This program focuses on the objective measurement of animal behavior to inform husbandry and habitat management. Under the guidance of the Animal Care Administration, interns will learn how to design ethograms, utilize industry-standard software like ZooMonitor, and translate raw data into actionable welfare insights.

Learning Objectives & Project Outline

The core of this internship is a structured Behavioral Observation Project. Interns will progress through the following phases:

Phase 1: Foundation & Research (Approx. 30 Hours)

• Shadowing: Learn daily routines and individual animal histories with the Animal Care Team.

• Natural History Research: Review and update "Species Spiders" (biological profiles) using peer-referenced citations.

• Methodology Training: Watch instructional modules on Animal Behavior Observation Methods and ZooMonitor via SharePoint.

• Ethogram Development: Learn to define specific behavioral categories to answer:

• What proportion of time are animals engaged in specific behaviors?

• Where and when do animals spend their time within the habitat?

Phase 2: Data Acquisition (Approx. 60 Hours)

• Active Observation: Conduct daily 30-minute interval observations of focal animals (3 hours/day).

• Visibility Mapping: Execute daily visibility checks of other species every 30 minutes (between 10 AM - 3 PM) to track habitat usage and guest-animal interactions.

• Software Integration: Work with AC Administration to build and manage a formal study within the ZooMonitor platform.

Phase 3: Synthesis & Reporting (Approx. 30 Hours)

• Data Summarization: Analyze 30+ hours of collected data to identify behavioral trends.

• Professional Presentation: Report findings on visibility, frequent locations, and behavioral budgets to the Animal Care Team.

Experience Required

Applicant Requirements & Eligibility •Academic Standing: Must be a current student at an accredited college or university following a related course of study (e.g., Psychology/Behavior, Zoology, Biology). •Credit Minimum: Applicants must have completed at least 60 college credits before applying. •Health & Safety: Provide proof of a negative TB test and pass a criminal background check prior to acceptance. •Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, ability to navigate uneven, wet, or sloped terrain on foot.

Logistics & Commitment •Total Hours: The project is designed around 120 total hours. •Flexibility: Schedules are mutually decided. For example: oFull-time (Daily): Approximately 4 weeks. oPart-time (1 day/week): Approximately 20 weeks. •Compensation: This is an unpaid internship. Interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. •Environment: This role involves significant time spent outdoors in all weather conditions for stationary observations, as well as computer-based data analysis.

Salary

Unpaid

How to Apply

To apply please submit resume and 3 references to

Chelsea Crytzer at CCrytzer@parks.essexcountynj.org

Turtle Back Zoo

560 Northfield Ave

West Orange, NJ 07052

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