Depending on available positions, orientation sessions, and events going on in the Zoo, it may take anywhere from 2-8 weeks for a volunteer to begin. Group volunteers, special event volunteers, and short-term volunteer activities will be handled accordingly and will not take as long to accommodate depending on openings.

Your commitment hours will vary depending on the volunteer opportunity you are interested in. Adult volunteers are asked to give 4 hours a week, while Intern volunteers are asked to work out a schedule with the department they are volunteering for. You will learn more about hours during your orientation.

Volunteers can range in ages. Please see the Volunteer Opportunity descriptions above that you are interested in to determine if you meet the age requirement.

Yes. A $25 fee is requested to cover the cost of your Volunteer Zoo shirt, name-tag, and training materials.

It is possible, but there are absolutely no guarantees that any volunteers will be offered a paid position. When a position becomes open, volunteers will be given equal consideration, as well as other applicants.

Some volunteer opportunities require applications to be in before certain dates, like internships and camp helpers. You can find these dates on the Volunteer Opportunity descriptions.