Develop crucial field skills necessary to start your successful career in conservation and have the chance to work with a diverse range of wildlife including; The Big Five, Cape fur seals, Humpback whales, Great White Sharks and African penguins. We also offer internship opportunities in veterinary clinics where you have the chance to work with cats, dogs and exotic pets.
The best animal and wildlife internships in Cape Town?
We think so. We pride ourselves on delivering customised internship placements and on the ground support that offer life-changing, valuable professional experiences.
Your internship will be based in the Western Cape, which is famous for breathtaking landscapes and coastlines considered home by diverse wildlife. You will have the opportunity to acquire valuable experience in conservation while working with endemic animals. These include Cape fur seals, Humpback whales, Great White Sharks, African penguins, Chacma baboons, Cape clawless otters, hippos, flamingos, and a wide range of incredible African birds.
As an intern in this field you could have the chance to assist with research work, habitat specialisation, protection and rehabilitation efforts. You will have the chance to team with inspiring animal rescue centres, as well as game reserves and national parks.
We also offer internship opportunities in veterinary clinics where you have the chance to work with cats, dogs and exotic pets.
Read on for a full overview of the best animal and wildlife internships in Africa.
Here's what you can expect from the programme in a nutshell!
Of course, the list is much longer - but these are the skills our intern alumni reported back that they grew in the most!
We managed to grab some detailed interviews from previous interns on this programme, you can click on them below.
If you are searching for a way to experience not only what Cape Town has to offer but also gaining work experience and being guided by fantastic mentors, I would strongly recommend Bridging Gaps.
What might your programme in this career field look like? Here's how it has typically shaped up for our alumni!
Arrival & orientation. Introduction to Cape Town, your accommodation and your internship host organisation and colleagues.
Get stuck into your Animal & Wildlife internship placement and establish yourself with your organisation. Come to our free social events.
Enjoy a great work-life balance, getting out and about to see the sites alongside working hard on your internship.
Pick up more responsibility in your internship as you prove your capability. Enjoy regular activities in Cape Town outside of work. Come to another social!
Now you're flying (metaphorically) at work, you'll be more and more autonomous. Expect to pick up even more challenges!
Internship is going swimmingly, now go and do something crazy like swimming with some great white sharks or abseiling off of a mountain.
Regularly enjoy the benefits of Cape Town and at work, gather materials needed for portfolio (e.g. references from us and provider).
Putting the finishing touches to your internship and gathering feedback from us and your internship provider for use in your academic / career portfolio. Finalise paperwork for university (if needed)
Here's what others said when they applied. Some of these people came just for this career area, some mixed it with other career fields too...
What makes our internship programmes a worthwhile investment? Here's a swift overview of what you can expect!
We have two primary programmes to suit your needs. In some instances we also offer virtual placements.
You can come for as long as you need without paying any extra fees.You'll receive the same level of support.
We are 100% on your side. We guarantee every aspect of your trip with unrivalled promises.
Need to focus on a precise niche or two? No problem! Your programme can focus on your specialist areas.
We'll help you engage with the culture and personal benefits of being in a foreign country.
Save on travel and accommodation costs, pay a far lower fee. All while building your professional network.
We will handle all aspects of academic accreditation, including direct liaison with your tutors and academic staff.
We will write full reference letters for your placement(s) to optimise future employers' first impression of you.
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Here are some current or recent internship job opportunities in this career area. We do not publish all openings - so please contact us to hear about others.
Good physical health Good analytical skills Adaptable Passionate about wildlife conservation BSc or Diploma in conservation, wildlife sciences or ecology
Good communication skills Good physical health Passion for conservation and wildlife BSc in or prior knowledge of wildlife sciences, environmental sciences or ecology
Must be in reasonably good physical health as interns will be involved with work on foot and hikes A passion for wildlife and conservation is essential Currently studying environmental science/biology/animal behavior/ecology or related field would be beneficial
Passion for conservation and research is essential Studying or completed studies in wildlife science, biology, animal behaviour or related fields
Get in touch.
We have worked very hard to streamline our process to make your experience easy, fun and highly rewarding personally and professionally. Flick through the steps below, or read about our process in more detail.
Getting your dream internship all starts with you saying hello! Just pop your details into our enquiry form and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation with you that we call a 'discovery call'.
In your discovery call, you can ask us any questions you still have. We'll talk about your options in the career fields you've told us you're interested in to help you imagine your placement and decide if our service is right for you.
If everything sounds good to you, complete your application to put into words your dream programme. This forms the basis of the 'design' of your customised placement and will be the primary framework against which we validate potentially suitable opportunities.
We maintain a large and varied network of the best organisations in Cape Town. We will identify the best potential fits for your programme goals and preferences and reach out on your behalf to assess those organisations for suitability (learn about their current projects and initiatives).
Once you've confirmed which placement offer you prefer, we'll start helping you plan the rest of your trip. We'll book your accommodation, help with your travel arrangements and provide extensive advice and information on how to get ready for your time in Cape Town. Your Bridging Gaps mentor will be on hand to make sure you're fully prepared for your placement.
Finally, every member of our team will move mountains to make sure you get what you came for and MORE! It's essential to us that you're safe, you're learning and growing in confidence and developing the most important skills for your future career.
Our programme fees are shown below, for a full description of our service offering please click to view the programme or a side-to-side comparison.
Comprehensive support
Visa & travel assist
Accommodation assistance
Social events & excursions
... and lots more
We've answered some specific questions about this internship programme below.
This depends on your education and work background. Generally, most entry-level conservation jobs will require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline as well as some previous field experience. An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door in this competitive industry and make important contacts that can help bolster your career.
Research internships often entail a lot of independent work, although asking questions, being proactive, and making the most of your resources are key to a successful research internship. Medical internships or those in the field of biology are often heavily focused on research and interns will either be asked to complete their own project or contribute to ongoing research. These types of internships will also involve laboratory work. Research is also often integral to internships in human rights, law and public policy.
There are many jobs which allow one to work with exotic animals. If you are looking to go down an ethical route, there are many research institutes, wildlife rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries, veterinarians, biologists, game reserve guides, eco-tourism workers, education workers and more.
There are many fantastic career paths for animal lovers, from veterinary work, wildlife conservation, wildlife researchers, domestic and or exotic animal rehabilitation, wilderness guiding, environmental scientists, conservation educators and more!
Wildlife conservationists either work for private or government organisations. Entry-level jobs usually require a bachelor's degree in environmental sciences, biology, or a related field. More advanced positions often require a master's degree. The salary one can expect to earn as a wildlife conservationist depends on the type of employer and level of one’s position.
For most entry level conservation roles, a minimum requirement would be a bachelor's degree in animal conservation, biology, ecology, environmental sciences or other relevant fields. For more advanced roles within the industry, a masters degree may be required along with plenty of relevant work experience. Getting a foot in the door and gaining experience can be difficult, however, internships with game reserves, national parks and eco-tourism companies are a great way to launch your career and build fantastic contacts within the industry.
Yes, we provide 2+ week internships and there is no maximum. Please note that it is preferable if you can commit to at least 6 weeks for an internship.
The species of wildlife you will be working with during your internship depends on your personal interests and goals, and the types of local organisation that are interested in hosting you as an intern. As an animal and wildlife intern you could have the opportunity to work with dogs, cats, Cape fur seals, Humpback whales, Great White Sharks, African penguins, Chacma baboons, Cape clawless otters, hippos, flamingos, and a wide range of incredible African birds.
Send it to us below and we will answer ASAP.
Hi, we're really sorry but we are no longer offering internship opportunities in this career field. However, we wish you the best with your search.