The Seabird Chick Rearing internship has been developed to equip you with seabird breeding and chick husbandary skills needed for a career in captive breeding or seabird chick rearing and conservation.

This internship is not as physically challenging as the other Seabird internship programmes but you need to be focussed, self motivated, compassionate, highly observant and be aware that the environment is quiet and solitary by nature.

Read what others have said about this programme.

What will I learn?

Seabird Chick Rearing Interns will work mainly in the Chick Rearing Unit (CRU).

This learning experience is divided into 2 sections.

Online e-learning learning course – completed prior to the first day

This course is desgined to provide you with a sound knowledge base to work at SANCCOB. The course content is developed to provide you with a working knowledge of different types of penguins and seabirds of various ages, types of enclosures they live in, what does daily care entail, handling and feeding techniques as well as seabird behaviour and signs of illness and disease. You will also learn the basic differences between working at the Main centre vs. CRU. Scenarios, case studies, instructional videos and photos will provide the basis for self assessment quizzes that encourage understanding and application of knowledge.

SANCCOB – Practical skills development

Depending on the length of your internship, you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and practice those skills that you have been introduced to. You will learn basic seabird care techniques for juvenile and adult birds and will learn highly specialised skills on how to handle, feed and care for primarily African penguin chicks, gulls and cormorants.  You will also learn about the incubation process and assist with egg management.

Who can apply?

Returning volunteers who meet application requirements, university students, graduates, post graduates, employees and volunteers in the fields of animal science, husbandry, care and welfare related fields.

Programme duration

6 months

If you want to make the best of your time, then why not consider one of our training courses, combining this experience with another seabird internship or the 6 month Seabird Care and Conservation Internship?

Please note that dissertation projects/other under or graduate research projects can be completed as part of this 6 month internship. Click here for more information.

Work schedule

Our Seabird Chick rearing internship is different from our other internships in that it entails shift work.  Shift times are mostly from  05h30-14h30 & 13h30-21h30 but during times where there's an increase in bird numbers or a lack of capacity, shifts may change to a 12 hour shift (6am-6pm).

8 hours shift rotation schedule will operate  5 days a week and will include weekends and public holidays.

12 hours shift rotation schedule will operate  on a long week (Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat, Sun), short week (Wed, Thurs) system.

We are a working seabird hospital which means that your schedule may change on short notice. Your flexibility is essential to successfully completing this internship. 

What about accommodation?

Unfortunately SANCCOB doesn’t offer accommodation but potential interns can This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a list of places of accommodation that many interns and volunteers have made use of in the past.

Programme cost

How to apply?

Click here to download the application form