Meet the Team - Intern Jasmine
Thursday, 30 January 2025
What does a day in your role look like?
As I am approaching a month and I have got to grips with the daily routine I am beginning to go on site with the team in the morning to help give the rescued pups, the resident seals, and puffins their breakfast.
If I do not go down on site in the morning I stay up by the hospital and help prepare the rest of the fish for the day as well as mucking out and feeding the sanctuaries three goats. After break I make my way down on site with the animal care team to feed the resident animals and puffins.
Recently I have been told I can go and feed the puffins on my own which is a lot of fun, and it is nice the team trust me to do this! Members of the team have started teaching me how to carry out back and flipper checks under their supervision. I am also learning how to carry out training techniques whilst using a target stick with one of the resident seals called ‘Bo’, the target stick helps Bo know what I am asking him to do whilst protecting my hands in case he gets too excited!
Once all the animals on site are fed I head up with the team to clean the fish buckets as well as inputting daily records. After lunch I head back down on site and continue feeding the seals and learning about their needs and care. I also help give the seals enrichment items which are beneficial for the seals cognitive function and is a bit more fun for them than just being given fish straight from a bucket. Once everyone on site has had their final feed we all come back to the top and I begin to clean down the pup pens in the hospital and give them their final meal of the day!
What is your favourite and least favourite part of the job so far? I really enjoy going down on site to feed all the resident animals and when I can carry out husbandry checks on them with the team. If I had to say anything as my least favourite job it would probably be mucking out the goats! I enjoy going to see them but when it is raining, and I need to clean them it isn’t the most fun job!
Which resident do you relate to the most? I’m not sure I relate to him personally, other than that he can be a bit dopey, but Marlin would be my favourite resident. I really like them all, but I love Marlin’s temperament and I always enjoy going to feed him!
