Description

The Animal Care Project in Romania is based at the world's largest bear sanctuary close to the Carpathian Mountains on the outskirts of Brasov. This volunteer animal care internship is suitable for people who are passionate about the protection of animals and enjoy the outdoors. Internships at the bear sanctuary are suitable for gap year students, university students and those taking a career break.

This Animal Care project is aimed at interns who are ready for an adventure! A weekly schedule is always put in place so you are aware of what your role will be for the following week.

Romania is home to Europe's largest population of brown bears. In Romania, many bears are sadly still kept to entertain tourists. The bears often receive a poor diet and not enough water; they are kept in cramped cages and in poor conditions with little protection from the bitter cold of the Romanian winter. In 2006 the bear sanctuary near Brasov was established, providing a purpose built home for rescued bears.

The sanctuary accommodates almost 30 bears in over 70 hectares of forest. The sanctuary is increasing in size each year as more bears are rescued. Within the next year, the number of bears is expected to increase to about 50.

Interns help prepare food for the bears and feed them. Vaccinations and disinfestations also occasionally take place, which you can observe. You can also help with activities such as the maintenance of fences in the forest, digging foundations for new facilities, and generally helping with the conservation of their environment by planting trees and shrubs.

When the bears are first rescued they are transported to the sanctuary where they have an initial medical check at a health center. Once recovered, they are gradually introduced to forested enclosures so they can revert back to instinctive behaviour. Before arriving at the sanctuary, these bears knew little about life outside a cage. Fortunately at the sanctuary, they have pools to splash and swim in, food for foraging and places where they can make dens.

Although the Romanian law protects bears from abusive and poor conditions, there weren't facilities for authorities to house rescued bears, thus this law could not be enforced. The primary aim of the sanctuary is therefore to help eradicate the cruel exploitation of bears in Romania by empowering the Government to enforce the law. The sanctuary also aims to develop a rehabilitation and release program for cubs brought to the sanctuary and enabling them to return to the wild.

All interns stay with a local host family in Brasov and will take local transportation to work each day. This project is only available from March to November due to the bears hibernating in the winter months.

Highlights

The ancient city of Brasov has many sights and museums, and a full cultural program of theater, music and puppetry performances. The town center contains a wide range of restaurants within walking distance, and it's also easy to explore more of the city with frequent buses and trolleybuses.

It's only an hour from the town to Dracula's castle, or the medieval home of Vlad the Impaler. Indeed, there are plenty of attractions in Transylvania, but it's also easy for you to visit Bucharest, the Black Sea or the Danube Delta. Other volunteers have even explored Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ukraine after finishing their volunteer placements.

Intern Types

• Animal Sciences
• Environmental Studies
• Zoology & Wildlife Sciences

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Animal Welfare
• Conservation
• Environment

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded, eager to explore, help, and learn.

Age Range

16-70

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992