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FONZ Recruiting Volunteers for National Zoo's Elephant House and Small Mammal House
For Release: Aug. 18, 2006
Media only:
Matt Olear  (202) 633-4085
FONZ Recruiting Volunteers for National Zoo's Elephant House and Small Mammal House
Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), the nonprofit support organization of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, is recruiting volunteers to serve as interpreters at the Zoo's  Elephant House and Small Mammal House.
Exhibit interpreters play a critical role at the Zoo by engaging the Zoo's 2 to 3 million annual visitors, explaining the natural history and status of the Zoo's animals, raising awareness about efforts to conserve endangered species, and sharing animal artifacts, such as bones, feathers, and fur.
Asian elephants, pygmy hippos, and the world's largest rodents (capybaras) are among the animals that call the Elephant House home, and interpreters there share with visitors the natural history and status of these diverse species, explain the Zoo's management of the animals, and provide visitors hands-on experiences with a hippo skull, an elephant tooth, a giraffe hide, and other animal artifacts. Interpreters may also narrate the elephant-training demonstrations that take place daily at 11 a.m.
Small Mammal House interpreters help visitors learn about the lives and habits of the many beguiling animals that inhabit the Small Mammal House, including Asian small-clawed otters, meerkats, black howler monkeys, golden lion tamarins, prehensile-tailed porcupines, and 30 other species. Interpreters may also assist keepers during the special “Meet a Mammal” talks that afford visitors an up-close look at a Small Mammal House resident each day at 2 p.m.
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Exhibit Area |
Deadline |
Training |
Public Contact Information |
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Elephant House |
Aug. 25 |
Seven sessions in Sept. |
Call or email Caroline at (202) 633-3057 or  winslowc@si.edu |
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Small Mammal House |
Aug. 25 |
Seven sessions in Sept. |
Call or email Laura at (202) 633-1105 or klopferl@si.edu |
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and should possess good communication skills, an interest in the exhibit area's species, and an eagerness to interact with the public. Interpreters work a flexible schedule of three, three-hour shifts a month and attend monthly meetings.
FONZ volunteers receive many benefits, including discounts at Zoo Stores and food shops, free parking while volunteering or visiting the Zoo, and invitations to special receptions and field trips.
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