If you’ve ever dreamed of spending more time with animals, learning about conservation issues, and educating the public, here’s your chance. This Sunday, the San Francisco Zoo is holding an orientation for those interested in volunteering as docents for this local institution.

Docents play a critical part in the zoo's public outreach efforts. Serving as the public face of the zoo for school groups, they conduct tours focusing on themes like animal adaptations, habitats, and environments. “Our docents are educational ambassadors,” docent coordinator Stella Egar told us.

During the 10-week orientation course, docents learn about zoo history, conservation, ecology and science, including how to handle biological artifacts with the public. For instance, the bones of animals that pass away at the zoo often become teaching tools. “Kids get excited when you can show them how dinosaurs and birds are related,” said Egar. 

Docent Kathy Pattinson talks to two young visitors. (Photo: Marianne Hale/SF Zoo)

For the docents, it's a great way to pick up soft skills like public speaking and event coordination. Retirees have made up the bulk of the zoo’s volunteer docents over the past few years, but Egar is also seeing some younger people volunteer, including fresh graduates. (Docents must be at least 18 years of age.)

“Some of our younger docents stay on for years," she said. "We’ve had docents who have stayed here over 30 years. The more you are here, the more people want to volunteer."

A 17-year veteran of the zoo, Egar herself went through the program back when it was a 16-week commitment. In the beginning, she didn’t know anything about animals, but she says she's learned a lot along the way.

Docent coordinator Stella Egar with a porcupine. (Photo: Stella Egar/SF Zoo)

The two-hour Sunday orientation will have two parts. The first hour is a tour around the zoo, while the second hour will discuss what is required of docents. The full course is 10 weeks long, and once they've graduated, the zoo also asks that docents volunteer 10 hours a month.  

For those without the time to volunteer, there are other ways to get involved with the zoo, including free conservation lectures that don’t require zoo admission, art classes, and other events. The zoo also plays an important role in local conservation efforts, including initiatives to repopulate Western palm turtles in Inner Richmond’s Mountain Lake Park and mountain yellow-legged frogs in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  

To learn more about how you can get involved with the SF Zoo docent program or attend Sunday morning’s orientation, e-mail docent at sfzoo dot org or call (415) 753-7122. The orientation takes place from 10am-12pm on Sunday, January 10th; another will be held on Sunday, March 3rd.