IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internship
International Fund for Animal Welfare (Private) | https://www.ifaw.org/
Details
Application Deadline:
05/15/2025
Published:
04/30/2025
Starting Date:
6/3/2025
Ending Date:
1/11/2026
Hours per Week:
24 - 32
Salary:
none
Education Required:
Some Undergraduate
Experience Required:
none
Location:
Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Tags:
Undergraduate Opportunities
Description
Program Background
IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW’s Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our program strives to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding “hot spot,” with an average of over 315 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. In addition to stranding response, IFAW’s MMR division has developed the Cetacean Intensive Care Unit (CICU) located at the Dolphin Rescue Center in Orleans, MA. CICU is a short-term holding facility (96 hours) that aims to provide rehabilitative care to dolphins and porpoises experiencing acute effects of stranding.
Stranding Intern Duties
- Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data.
- Marine mammal stranding response & necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings.
- CICU operations: assist staff with aspects of CICU operations, including animal care (i.e. in-water support, assist during procedures, monitoring animal behavior etc.), CICU education and outreach, CICU readiness and cleaning, etc. Please note experiences will be opportunistic as cases arise. We do not have a long-term rehabilitation program or animals on-site regularly.
- Stranding & necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies.
- Data entry & sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc.
- Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events.
Contact
Kira Kasper
kkasper@ifaw.org (preferred contact method)