International Exotic Feline Sanctuary, Inc.

TWAS-TEXAS offers three and six month Animal Care Internships. Interns will gain practical experience working with exotic animals, will be involved with our Educational Program and will be involved in our Emotional and Behavioral Enrichment Programs. Interns will be able to learn as much about exotic animals' behavior as they choose to learn. Experience includes feeding, cleaning, animal health, animal management, behavioral studies, chemical immobilization, record keeping, assisting in construction and habitat modification, and related activities. Interns will also be involved with the volunteer program and formal and informal presentations. Interns are provided with a vehicle for their use, housing, and a stipend. Housing is provided in the Meadows Dormitory, a luxurious four-bedroom, four-bath dormitory. The Meadows Dormitory is air-conditioned/heated, has a laundry facility, walk-in closets, a large living area, and a community kitchen. We can house up to eight interns each session.The Animal Care Intern Program is designed to instill respect for nature and to raise awareness of the value and need to preserve these magnificent beings for generations to come. Over the course of twelve to twenty-four weeks each session, the chosen interns gain invaluable education and experience in all aspects of the Sanctuary’s operations. This program provides a unique opportunity for individuals who wish to learn about the care and management of exotic animals. Most zoos across the United States do not offer internships working with large exotic felines or with bears. Here, interns work daily with qualified keepers to care for the 58 exotic felines and the 13 resident bears who call TWAS-TEXAS home. College credits can and have been earned at participating universities such as Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Arlington and Michigan State University. Dr. Richard Snider, Professor and Undergraduate Director of Zoology at Michigan State University, commends TWAS-TEXAS as a “primary source for research and development of better programs in management and animal welfare.”

As part of the Education Program, TWAS-TEXAS provides conservation education tours where people can see the animals up close and learn about animal welfare issues related to keeping exotic animals in captivity and the conservation issues affecting these animals. During the tours, they are able to read our informative conservation signs posted throughout the Sanctuary. They inform the public of the natural history and the efforts being taken to conserve each of the different species that call TWAS-TEXAS home. During the spring and summer seasons, a number of school groups and youth groups visit IEAS for a guided tour. It is on this tour that they learn about exotic animals and conservation issues. School teachers are encouraged to plan field trips for school children in the third grade and worthwhile, interesting, and exciting experience for students of all ages. We will work with teachers to try and provide as much educational information as is appropriate for each grade level regarding species that are endangered or nearing extinction in the wild.

In 2007, TWAS-TEXAS constructed a new area for the black bear residents of TWAS-TEXAS. Bear Orphanage consists of two beautiful, natural five acre habitats for the bears of the Sanctuary. Each habitat has both forest and meadow areas along with ponds and den sites. This spring we have opened Bear Orphanage to the public as part of our conservation education tours. Visitors are now able to walk the nature trail surrounding these habitats to see all of the amazing bears. At TWAS-TEXAS, we are strongly devoted to education the public about the importance of preserving these magnificent beings. Allowing the public to see these animals in their natural setting provides us with an excellent opportunity to do just that. Thousands of people visit us for guided tours each year; we have been repeatedly acknowledged by the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex media as one of the best kept secrets!

Knowing there are few better ways to learn about exotic animals and conservation than observing them first hand, we have developed a new way to reach people all across the U.S.! The Sanctuary now offers virtual tours for students via Skype! It’s a great way for students around the country to meet the Sanctuary animals and learn about their natural histories and conservation efforts. The classroom will follow its tour guide through the Sanctuary, meeting tigers, lions, ocelots, grizzly bears, black bears, coatis, and much more! We have already given a number of successful Skype tours to elementary and college classes. Some of these schools include: Palisades Episcopal School in NC, Bemus Point Elementary in NY, Cunniff Elementary in MA, Pleasant Hill Elementary in MO, Blue Haze Elementary in TX and Central Elementary in PA. The implementation of the virtual tours allows us to spread conservation information to people who may not normally have the opportunity to visit and in turn, raise awareness for the plights of these species on a national level.