Internships in Africa

I feel a lot more confident within myself, to make decisions and work alone.  I am confident to go off and do things that need doing, rather than wait to be asked or told.  And due to all the trust that was placed in me, I now know that I am a responsible and trustworthy person, with the skills to care for animals.  I am confident that should a lion cub ever need to be hand-reared at my work in the UK, I would have all the knowledge and skills to do it.

 I gained my first experience and knowledge of lions interning at ALERT.  I am happy I was able to work with them in their natural habitat rather than a zoo in the US where it snows.  Seeing them in their element was such an unforgettable feeling and I will take all that I learned about lions and use it in my future positions as an animal professional.  I felt very much a part of the team.  I also gained friends I could never forget nor replace.  I miss them every day!  I absolutely loved the staff too.  Everyone was so friendly.  This has been the best out of all my internships.  I really felt like family living at ALERT and I left a part of me there which I shall return to.

By caring for the cubs and ensuring their health and safety, as well as the older lions, I was able to take knowledge from my biology background and observational skills learned from a previous big cat internship.  As an intern, I felt included in situations with handlers and other staff, as I was accountable for observing their conditions on a daily basis.  My ideas were always welcomed and considered.  Because of ALERT, I gained a better sense of everything involved in conservation and how big an effect the community has on the project.