“I’ve been privileged to volunteer at the Baton Rouge Zoo, supporting the education department, horticulture, keepers, and special events. Such a wonderful staff at the zoo who have taught me so much about animals, conservation, and the environment. I greatly enjoy caring for, learning about, and providing enrichment for our ambassador animals, and showing them to our guests. I also help facilitate volunteer groups performing service projects and have assisted with constructing enrichment materials for several of our exhibit animals. Every time I volunteer, I learn something new, and I receive much benefit of “animal therapy” from working with and visiting our animals, and so enjoy being around everyone who take such wonderful care of the animals, grounds, and facilities” —Rich Hirsch

“I enjoy volunteering at the zoo because it has given me the opportunity to appreciate how truly amazing and adaptive animals are. I have been able to learn hands-on, and from interacting and caring for the animals with zoo staff, I have learned how unique each species truly is. I love to educate young and, old alike, in the community and hopefully in doing so, encourage them to be more inquisitive, and spark a desire to learn, appreciate, and understand more, so that future generations will also be able to share in the beauty and wonder of animals.” —Pam Posster

“I am a Keeper Assistant volunteer, and I have had the opportunity to meet many of the animals and birds behind the scenes while assisting with cleaning their environments. Every day that I volunteer is different, and I love every second of it! Be prepared to get dirty and have fun! I volunteer with the Education department also, and I love learning about the small animals we have and being able to interact with them so closely. Connecting with zoo guests and teaching them about what makes each animal unique is also very rewarding! I've also helped with many special zoo events, including the Zoo Run Run, Boo at the Zoo, and the holiday parade. It's great to be able to represent the zoo and to interact with others who share a love for the animals!” —Bridget