See below for an amazing White Tern volunteer opportunity with the Honolulu Zoo!My name is Shelby Carlos (scarlos@honzoosoc.org) and I work for the Honolulu Zoo Society, in partnership with the Honolulu Zoo. We have been working as the soft release site for any young terns that have been unable to be replaced in a tree or needing rehabilitation, working with both the Hui Manu o Ku and the Hawaii Wildlife Center. This has been a great program, about a year running to date, and we hope that things will keep growing and that we will be able to be a safe place for all these young terns to come and get a little more care and attention before heading out on their own into the wild.
All of this can't be done without the help and support of amazing volunteers. Volunteers with the soft release program aid us in taking behavioral notes, speaking with the public about the Manu o Ku and helping with supplemental feeding of the birds in the program at one or more of the three feeding per day. And as we get further into this program and receive more terns we are in need of more great volunteers who have a passion for these birds to help them along their way. That is where you can come in! If you are interested in other Manu o Ku opportunities we would love to have you take part in our program here at the Honolulu Zoo! Interested in getting started as a new volunteer? Please start by going to www.honoluluzoo.org/volunteer , read over the different sections and start your online application. Please note that we ask for all volunteers to upload a current photo, TB test within 2 years, a signed waiver of liability and a background check to the application. The links for the waiver and background check can be found under "other requirements" on the volunteer page. We will be hosting an informational training were we will be showcasing the soft release program, the soft release area, and layout of how we are working with the birds once they are here at the zoo. We will be looking at scheduling and how you can best take part in this program at the close of the training. The informational training will be on Sunday, August 25th from 1:30-3:30PM. Please RSVP so we can have a headcount and follow up with you prior to the training. Mahalo! Have you been thinking that maybe you’d like to learn more about what’s involved with rescuing white tern chicks that fall from the trees? Maybe you’ve wondered if there was something you could be do to be part of helping to reunite them with their parents. We’re going to be offering a couple of sessions over the next few weeks to provide an orientation to what happens after a call comes in to the Hui Manu o Ku hotline reporting a fallen white tern chick. We’ll describe the process and protocols we follow to attempt to reunite chicks with their parents and demonstrate some of the tools and techniques we use. And we’ll help those who are interested to identify specific ways they can become part of the effort to rescue terns in need. The first orientation session will take place this Saturday, August 10. We’ll meet under the big banyan behind the Iolani Palace at 9:00 and should be finished by 10:30. Please RSVP by calling or texting 808-379-7555 to receive your spot.  |