Koalas can spend twenty hours or more of the day just sleeping or resting in gum trees
Volunteer Keepers
The Taronga Conservation Society has a volunteer program for those looking to gain experience in the zoological industry. The program is very popular and has a limited number of positions available. To be accepted to the program you need to be able to be available one day weekly or fortnightly for a minimum 6 month period. We'd love to accept every application we receive for people wanting to help out - even if it's just for a day - but unfortunately the practicalities of having volunteers working efficiently and safely means training and a structured program is required. Therefore we have a range of programs which may be more suitable for you to become involved with if you are unable to commit to our Volunteer Keeper Program.
We recruit for volunteers approximately every 6 months.
Applications for our Volunteer Keeper Program are now closed and will re-open in March 2009.
For more information please contact Pippa Williams at pwilliams@zoo.nsw.gov.au or 02 9978 4695.
So you want to be a Volunteer Keeper?
Volunteer Keepers assist keepers with general keeping duties including cleaning of exhibits and food preparation. The work can be physically demanding and volunteers should be prepared to work outside in all conditions. Being a volunteer keeper is not all about cuddling tigers or playing with gorillas. In fact, to be brutally honest, being a volunteer keeper involves a lot of cleaning and raking and... (there is no nice way to put this) ... poo shovelling! Keepers start work as early as 6.30am and in summer it can be really hot and in winter it can be very cold. Volunteers are expected to show up on their rostered day, rain, hail or shine.
Are you still reading? Great! If we haven't lost you yet it's a good sign. Apart from the hard work and the early starts, there are plenty of special moments and amazing experiences. We have a great team here at Taronga and our "Vollies" are very much part of the family. We invest time and resources into training our Volunteers to assist with all aspects of our Life Sciences departments and we rely on their contribution in the day to day running of the Zoo.
What happens at the "Recruitment Day"?
At the recruitment day we gather all our applicants in our Lecture Theatre and brief you more about what's involved with being a Volunteer Keeper. You'll hear from the Volunteer Coordinator from each of the 8 sections and they'll chat about the tasks you'll be performing if you apply for their section. Each division and department at the Zoo are very different. Often our applicants change their preference area once they hear from the Keepers, deciding a different section sounds more appealing once they learn what is involved. The program is very popular and has a limited number of available positions each year, we accept approximately 60 applicants each recruitment day.
You will be asked to take a basic skills literacy and numeracy test and complete a customer service questionnaire. You will also be asked to complete a self health assessment form to ensure you are physically able to complete the required tasks. You will also be asked to participate in a group activity. Finally you will have a short interview with a Keeper from the section you want to apply for. We may also require a Working with Children check and a Criminal Record check.
Taronga Zoo accepts Keeper Volunteers in the following areas of interest:
- Education Centre / Backyard to Bush
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Exotics - Primates & Ungulates
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Australian Fauna Precinct
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Exotics - Carnivores (Big Cats)
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Great Southern Oceans (Marine Mammals)
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Bird Show and Bird Division
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Herpetofauna (Reptiles, amphibians, including some invertebrates)
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Taronga Wildlife Hospital
What else can I do?
If after reading this information you realise that our Volunteer Keeper program may not be exactly what you're looking for, then why not go to our website and read up on some of the different programs we run:
