Safari West Wildlife Foundation

Junior Keepers - This program is open to qualified young people between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Its an opportunity for young people to learn about careers in animal, conservation, and science fields. In addition to working directly with the animals, Junior Keepers are involved with keeper duties such as enrichment, learning curriculum related to biology and fire science, and working on public speaking skills when presenting at special conservation day events like Earth Day, World Oceans Day, and fundraisers.In 2024, 20 teens participated in special projects such as Amateur radio animal tracking, field and tracking, collaboration project with Conservation Fusion in Madagascar, and California State Government recycling outreach

The Safari West Wildlife Foundation provides hands-on experiential learning for youth and children, including thousands from underserved communities. The two main programs are Discover Africa and Junior Keepers: Discover Africa - is a scholarship program that is offered to Title 1 Schools. Students in Grades 3-12 encounter giraffes, primates, cheetahs, and birds from around the world. This experience provides a conservation-focused exploration of wildlife biology, ecology, and conservation sure to spark an interest in students of all ages. The curriculum undergoes constant refinement to ensure it adheres to California State Science Content Standards. In 2024, 1090 students from 23 Title 1 schools participated.