Join our zoo community

Who works or volunteers at a zoo or aquarium?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Tig, 30 May 2010.

  1. Tig

    Tig Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 May 2010
    Posts:
    111
    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    This is my first thread, I was just wondering if anyone here works or volunteers at a zoo or aquarium. If so, which one, and what do you do?

    I do, but I'll wait until there are a few replies first haha:D


    ~AJ~
     
    Last edited: 30 May 2010
  2. Zooplantman

    Zooplantman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    23 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    4,144
    Location:
    New York, USA
    Well, I used to.... over about a thirteen year period...

    Your guessing game is kind of shot by the Staten Island Zoo logo you posted with your screen name :p
     
  3. Tig

    Tig Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 May 2010
    Posts:
    111
    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    LOL yeah I guess... I love that place... Everyone always says, "They should pay you"... I always respond, I love it so much, sometimes I think I should be paying THEM...
     
  4. NAIB Volunteer

    NAIB Volunteer Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    25 Dec 2009
    Posts:
    588
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I volunteer at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I was part of the Student Summer Program in 2008, and have since continued. I go down every Sunday afternoon for a 5 hour shift. All I basically do is interpret exhibits for guest to promote the National Aquarium's Mission of "Through transforming experiences, the National Aquarium Institute inspires people to enjoy, respect, and protect the aquatic world." Occasionally, I'll help with some behind the scenes work, but it is mostly working with visitors.
     
  5. Tig

    Tig Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 May 2010
    Posts:
    111
    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    C'mon no one else on ZOOchat works or volunteers at a zoo or aquarium? :D
     
  6. FriendOfTheZoo

    FriendOfTheZoo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    29 May 2010
    Posts:
    197
    Location:
    Hamilton, Vic, Australia
    I used to volunteer at a Zoo. Does that count?

    I'm hoping to get back to ZooKeeping again in the future.
     
  7. CGSwans

    CGSwans Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    12 Feb 2009
    Posts:
    3,288
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Have you considered volunteering at Halls Gap?

    I have a pending application to volunteer at Melbourne Zoo - but believe it or not, it's been "pending" now for seven or eight months. Not the best way to get people into the organisation, I wouldn't have thought.

    I also have a plan to volunteer at a small animal sanctuary near Melbourne, but that's been put on hold for the past few months due to other matters.
     
  8. kbaker116

    kbaker116 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    359
    Location:
    Michigan, United States
    I work for an education facility does that count? We are hoping to open it up as a zoo eventually. But for now we just educate the public. We have several species including red kangaroos, parma wallabies, muntjac deer, sloths, etc.
     
  9. FriendOfTheZoo

    FriendOfTheZoo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    29 May 2010
    Posts:
    197
    Location:
    Hamilton, Vic, Australia
    I HAVE thought about that. :)

    I am actually looking at going to the Zoo there later this week, and will ask about it while I'm there. I have to do 100hrs voluntary work at a Zoo with the course I'm doing, but it's supposed to be at a Qld one (as Qld is where the course is based). If I HAVE to do 100hrs in Qld, I was thinking either Darling Downs Zoo, or Rockhampton Zoo could be nice.

    Only thing though, if I'm only Volunteering at Halls Gap, I would probably only be able to do 1 day a week, as it's over 1hr drive from Hamilton, and that will use up a bit in petrol. We're only a 1 income family atm, so don't have much money to waste right now. A different matter entirely though if I was employed there.

    I used to Volunteer at Australia Zoo as a Zookeeper, and not many people actually made it into the Volunteer program. Perhaps you can try applying at Melbourne Zoo again? For all you know, your application may have been lost, binned, anything could have happened.
     
  10. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    10 Feb 2009
    Posts:
    7,702
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    My user name makes it clear that I am a docent. I volunteer at Reid Park Zoo. We do small animal presentations for the public to meet and touch (skinks, small snakes, hedgehogs, etc), educational stations with artifacts at most of the major exhibits (I only do the cats, lion or jaguar and every once in a while tiger), or just patrol the grounds to answer questions and give directions (and rebuke people trying to feed the animals).

    I also do a digital slide show and lecture on the first Saturday of the month. It is a program I put together with my cat photos called "Wild Cats Of The World."

    The term "docent" is commonly used for volunteers here in America, not just at zoos but also botanical gardens and museums. I am curious, is it used much in other countries?
     
  11. FriendOfTheZoo

    FriendOfTheZoo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    29 May 2010
    Posts:
    197
    Location:
    Hamilton, Vic, Australia
    I'm in Australia. I've never heard the word "docent" before. :confused:
     
  12. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    13 Jun 2007
    Posts:
    23,395
    Location:
    New Zealand
    only in America is 'docent' used to denote a volunteer involved in teaching (although as Americanisms do tend to creep into other countries languages this will no doubt change). In other countries (mainly European) 'docent' has specific academic definitions
     
  13. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    10 Feb 2009
    Posts:
    7,702
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    When I was at London Zoo last year, I thought they had docents. Any UK forumsters out there that can confirm or deny?

    The word docent comes from Latin for "to teach." As mentioned above, it is specifically for volunteers that perform an educational role (as opposed to volunteers who help mainly as keeper assistants, etc, which would be called simply volunteers if a zoo has such a position).

    Some zoos have both volunteers and docents, such as Project Survival Cat Haven (California). Some have only docents, such as Reid Park Zoo (Arizona), and some have docents but just call them volunteers, such as Phoenix Zoo (Arizona). San Diego Zoo just started their first docent program a year ago (surprisingly behind the times for a zoo that is a leader in so many other areas). I guess they thought "docent" would be too confusing so they came up with a term to describe exactly what that is: volunteer interpreter (at least I think I remember that is what they use).

    For any U.S. volunteers who are not aware, there is a national organization called Association of Zoo & Aquarium Docents. For $15 a year you get a quarterly newsletter and a discount on the annual conference, which is hosted by a different zoo every Fall. 2010 will be Brookfield Zoo (Chicago), 2011 will be Memphis Zoo, 2012 will be Los Angeles Zoo. Here's the website: Association of Zoo and Aquarium Docents
     
  14. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    1 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,079
    Location:
    .
    London Zoo has Education Volunteers. They aren't called docents. The first time I heard the word was on an American zoo website and I had to google it.

    Education Volunteers are trained to cover a variety of different activities, all designed to enhance the visitors’ day out and provide information on animals and conservation, through fun and educational activities.

    Typical activities include:

    • presenting touch tables and display specimens (skins, skulls etc) for public handling
    • running the craft centre, offering activities such as badge-making
    • roving at animal exhibits answering visitors’ questions on the animals, giving directions
    • presenting ferrets, snakes, snails and millipedes to visitors
    • assisting at special events
    • presenting games and activities to raise awareness and funds for the conservation of animals in the wild
    • leading guided tours

    Education Volunteers are flexible and can do most, or all, of the above activities as-and when required and having had appropriate training. Applicants must be open, friendly people who enjoy meeting people and giving good service.
     
  15. Tig

    Tig Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 May 2010
    Posts:
    111
    Location:
    Brooklyn NY



    High five for docents :D
     
  16. Rookeyper

    Rookeyper Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    26 Jan 2007
    Posts:
    279
    Location:
    Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
    I've worked at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo for about 24 years and was a volunteer/docent for 6 years before being hired.