Doncaster's Yorkshire Wildlife Park's Rookie Ranger academy is back

The Rookie Ranger Academy provides a unique two-day course learning about the park’s incredible animals and how to care for them.

Expert staff from the park will be on hand to share their expertise from working with more than 450 animals, including rare species Amur tigers, polar bears and giraffes.

The academy includes practical activities such as cleaning out animal enclosures and a behind the scenes tour of Lemur Woods and South American Viva along with classroom workshops and team games at the 240-acre park at Branton, near Doncaster.

“Our rookie ranger academy is a fun, educational experience for children, teenagers and staff alike,” said YWP Education Manager Jade Bancroft.

“We are really excited to be holding these sessions at the park.

Feedback on the initial sessions have been overwhelmingly positive and it’s fantastic to see so many young people passionate about animal welfare.”

“We are passionate about passing on skills that are relevant to looking after animals and wider employment opportunities.”

The Rookie Ranger Academy is open for students 11 to 14-years-old who are too young to enroll on the full-length Ranger Academy, which is aimed at those wishing to pursue careers such as vets, vet nurses or animal rangers.

Students will be awarded an achievement certificate after completing the two-day course which runs from 10am to 3pm.

Rookie course sessions include activities which aim to give students a range of different key transferable skills such as: teamwork, problem solving, communication, organisation, presenting and confidence.

100% of students that took part in the 2019 courses said they enjoyed their time at YWP and had made new friends. Many of the students who take part in the rookie course return to take part in the weeklong course when they are old enough.

The two-day course costs £200 per student with limited places available. Due to demand an additional rookie course will be running in October this year.

For more information or to book a course, please visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park Education Visits