Fife Zoo and charity team up to offer new chances to work with animals

The Ladybank venue is working with Lucky Ewe, based near New Gilston, to give more people experience working outdoors.

After completing their initial 12-week internship at Lucky Ewe’s smallholding, volunteers will have the opportunity to gain further experiences with a diversity of different exotic species at Fife Zoo. Both organisations plan for their volunteers to gain different transferrable skills for life in the workplace.

Research in the health benefits of animals on people is still relatively new. Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of stress-related hormone cortisol, and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood.

Lucky Ewe offers young interns a chance to experience farming, animal husbandry and food production through beneficial placements for those in need in the community and adult volunteering opportunities.

Fife Zoo, home to a variety of animals such as endangered Grevy’s zebra, meerkats and lemurs, is currently expanding as part of a ten-year master plan.

Mike Knight, zoo director, said, “We’re delighted to have formed this partnership to give more people from a diversity of backgrounds the opportunity to gain experience working outdoors and in animal husbandry.”

Craig Holmes, farm operations manager at Lucky Ewe said, “It is great to have a partnership to enable some of our interns the opportunity to further their development. Hopefully the interns will be able to build on what we teach them and take these experiences forward with them to support them with their futures,”