Summer Zookeeper Internship

2026 Summer Zookeeper Internship

The Cape May County Zoo is accepting applications from motivated individuals who are looking to gain valuable experience in the zoo keeping field during the 2026 Summer Zookeeper Intern Program. Participants will work directly with various zookeepers and shadow them as they rotate through each area of the zoo. Interns will learn and participate in basic husbandry, diets, exhibit design and repair, medical care, and more.

They will also spend one day per week educating the public at an animal interpretation station in the zoo.

Qualifications:

The program is designed as an educational internship and preference will be given to applicants from Cape May County and to science majors enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program.

The intern must be capable of performing physical work in all types of weather. The program ran June 1, 2026 – July 10, 2026, from 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. A monetary stipend was awarded on August 11, 2026, to students registered for the Fall 2026 semester. Applicants must have been at least 18 years old.

The Cape May County Zoo is accepting applications from motivated individuals who are looking to gain experience with the training and enrichment of zoo animals. The intern will work directly with the Training and Enrichment Coordinators and Animal Keepers to learn the principles of animal training and enrichment through observation and hands‑on work with the animals. Applicants should be able to work independently and be comfortable speaking in front of zoo guests.

The intern will perform tasks such as data entry, constructing enrichment, training zoo animals, watching and recording Animal Keeper training sessions, and providing positive experiences for the zoo guests through interpretation.

Qualifications:

Preference will be given to applicants in a bachelor's degree program majoring in Biology, Zoology, Animal Behavior, Psychology, or a related field. The internship runs 9 am–4 pm on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from June 1 through mid-August. A monetary stipend was awarded on August 11, 2026, to students enrolled for the Fall 2026 semester. Applicants must have been at least 18 years old.

The Cape May County Zoo is accepting applications from motivated individuals who are looking to gain experience in the education department within the zoo. The intern will work directly with the Education Department and Animal Keepers to learn about our animals, public speaking, interpretation, and conservation messaging. Applicants should be able to work independently and be very comfortable engaging and speaking with zoo guests of all ages in both large and small group settings.

Qualifications:

Preference will be given to applicants in a bachelor's degree program majoring in Education, Environmental Science, Biology, Zoology, Animal Behavior, Psychology, or a related field. This internship runs from early June through mid-August. A monetary stipend was awarded at a mandatory meeting on August 11, 2026, to students enrolled for the Fall 2026 semester. Applicants must have been at least 18 years old.