Animal Keeper

The Living Rainforest
- Berkshire**Contact**:
**Sector**:

- Animal Care**Type**:

- Paid**Contract type**:

- Full-time**Salary**:

- TBCAn exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Animal Keeper to join our team at our educational centre, The Living Rainforest. You would be joining a small but enthusiastic team, who maintain our animal collection. The main tasks of the role would be to ensure a high standard of animal welfare is always maintained and ensure husbandry routines are adhered to.

The Trust for Sustainable Living is a registered charity based near Newbury, Berkshire. At our visitor centre, The Living Rainforest, the animal collection is contained within three tropical glasshouses and consists of more than 60 species. These include callitrichids, toucan and turacos, snakes, chelonia, stingrays, dendrobatids, and invertebrates and more.

This is a great opportunity to work with a wide variety of species from Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians to Fish and Invertebrates.

**Responsibilities**:

- Carry out all elements of animal husbandry including cleaning, feeding and preparation of diets.
- To ensure the husbandry routines and general health of our animals are maintained to a high standard
- To check the health and wellbeing of our animals and promptly report and record any changes observed
- Maintain detailed and accurate records as required
- Maintain and create new enclosures and enriching environments for our different species.
- Contribute to the training and support of our volunteers and interns.
- Engage with our visitors such as providing Keeper experiences, animal feeds and talks/demonstrations where required.
- To adhere to all our health and safety policies and procedures.

**The role**
- This is a hands on, practical role, working with a diverse range of tropical animals from all taxa.
- Working 5 out of 7 days per week on a rota basis including weekends and Bank Holidays. Hours are approximately 40 hours per week 8.30am to 5.00pm.
- At least 3 years hands on keeper experience within a zoo environment
- Some supervisory experience or experience of leading a team.
- A relevant degree or qualification would be a benefit but not essential
- Experience of a diversity of taxa, husbandry and management of animal exhibits and facilities within a themed environment
- Strong leadership skills and the ability to build strong working relationships across teams