Volunteer Primate Rehabilitation and Release Co-ordinator

Primate Release Programme – Diani, Kenya

Job Description: 1 x Volunteer Rehabilitation and Release Co-ordinator

Background Information and Position Description

The Colobus Trust, Kenya, facilitates the rescue and rehabilitation of confiscated, orphaned and injured animals and where feasible their return to the wild.

The Colobus Trust have successfully hand-reared the first Angolan Black and White colobus monkey to 9 months old and she is now ready to be prepared for release back in to the wild. This is brand new work and as a colobus of this species has never before been successfully hand-reared this type of release has never occurred with this species.

The juvenile colobus needs a full-time carer to teach her tree climbing, foraging and feeding and to monitor her soft release in to our home troop of wild Angolan colobus monkeys. In addition her transition in to the night enclosure with vervet and Sykes monkeys also needs to be monitored.

Once her transition in to the night enclosures has been achieved the general working day with the colobus will begin between 7-8am when she will be removed from the night enclosure. The rest of the day will be a mix of tree climbing, foraging and feeding lessons within our nature trail and a slow introduction to our home troop. The home troop have seen the juvenile colobus most days for the last 9 months but there has not been any physical contact. The colobus will be returned to her night enclosure around 5pm, given time to feed alone before joining the other vervet and Sykes monkeys for the night.                                              .                       

Prior to the colobus’ transition in to the night enclosure there may also be some night care giving requirements (approx 2 nights per week on a rota system with the manager).

The Colobus Trust is based in Diani, Kenya and offers a unique opportunity to live in a beautiful beach and forested area, with many western comforts. Our accommodation comprises three unisex bedrooms, with four beds per room, in a communal house, hot/cold showers, 3 meals a day, laundry and housekeeping. There is good mobile phone and internet coverage, and using Sarfricom, the local network supplier, text messages to the UK are very cheap (approx 8p).

This is a volunteer position and as such no wage or stipend is currently available. The volunteer is responsible for their return flight to Mombasa, visa, which will need extending after 3 months for an additional 3 months, comprehensive travel and medical insurance, food and accommodation as mentioned above (150 Euros per week), all field clothing, including adequate walking boots, mobile and internet expenses.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential requirements

You need to be physically fit, have a lot of patience and an affinity for working closely with animals.Ideally we would like someone who has a working knowledge of the rehabilitation and release process with primates, as well as captive care skills, who can contribute ideas and solutions.Significant foreign travel or living/work experience, within a developing country and ideally the tropicsInterest in animal behaviour, conservation and welfare, and preferably a university level qualification in animal behaviour, primate conservation, zoology or other relevant subject

In addition, applicants must have certain QUALITIES: they must be energetic, patient, open, responsible, flexible, healthy, able to work independently but also as part of a team, be highly motivated and not easily distracted by the holiday mentality found here in Diani. Applicants must also be hardworking and able to keep going, and do so cheerfully! Our schedule is demanding and unconventional (6 days work, 1 day off), up to 8 hrs field time per day. The position is not ideal for someone who needs a lot of personal time, or for someone who easily feels lonely. The ideal applicant must be comfortable being unplugged and a distance from easy communication with the outside world, although there is good mobile phone and e-mail communication, but sometimes things just don't work. They must also have above average resistance to social/psychological stress with a tolerance towards local customs and beliefs and be comfortable with other conditions and risks that are simply part of tropical fieldwork, such as limited healthcare, monotonous diet, rare confrontations with noxious plants or animals.

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