Volunteer roles

Application forms for volunteering can be found on the right hand side of this page.

Front of House volunteers

We are looking for confident, out-going people to lend support to our very busy Front of House team who deal with customer enquiries about taking out or renewing zoo membership. This includes collecting and checking membership applications and using computer-linked photographic equipment. Computer literacy is an advantage although full training will be given

This is an ideal volunteering opportunity for those people who enjoy talking to members of the public and sorting out queries, alongside full-time staff.

If you can spare at least half a day a week and wish to help the Zoo raise funds to further its important conservation work, then we would love to hear from you.

Please complete a volunteer application form and send applications through marking envelope with FoH Vol to Lindsay Woodard, Volunteer services, Bristol Zoo, Clifton, BS8 3HA. For any further information about this role not listed here please call 01179747363 

Children’s Craft Volunteers

Spend your day being creative in our Activity Centre. It’s run by volunteers and attracts lots of young visitors, so you can get involved in face painting, badge making, brass rubbing, necklace making and other activities. We also have a conservation corner and a retail area. The Activity Centre is in the busy hub of the zoo right by the main lawn, so you’ll always have something to do.

Animal Encounter Volunteers

Animal Encounters take place every day in the Terrace Theatre and involves showing visitors some of our smaller animals.

You’ll be handling animals such as snakes, lizards, cockroaches and spiders, and will also have the opportunity to carry out the husbandry of our animal collection.

You may also get involved in ‘Zoo to you’, where we take smaller animals out into the local community. For any of these roles, we’ll give you all the training you need.

Ranger Volunteers

What an opportunity – where else can you volunteer alongside incredible, tropical wildlife? We’re looking for confident people who enjoy talking to the public and are willing to learn lots about lemurs*, butterflies and lorikeets. You’ll be based in the Lemur Walkthrough*, Butterfly Forest or Feed the Lorikeets sections of our new Explorers’ Creek, where you’ll answer questions and make sure both visitors and animals are behaving themselves!

We ask you to commit to either a morning or afternoon shift, on a day that suits you. The morning shift runs from 9.45am until 1.45pm, and an afternoon shift from 1.15pm until 4.30 or 5pm.

If you can’t commit all year round, you can apply to become a holiday or seasonal volunteer. 

* During the winter season the Lemur walkthrough is closed for the majority of the time. Volunteers are involved in other activities at this time.

Keeper, gardens or presentations volunteers

For all these positions, you’ll be volunteering alongside full-time staff in various areas around the zoo.

Keepers

This is a long, hard day. As part of the keeping team, we expect you to volunteer from 8am to 5pm, one day a week. That said, it’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone considering an animal-related career, or even if you just want to do something completely different. You can also combine being a keeper volunteer in Bugworld with a ranger volunteer in our Butterfly forest – so if you have a passion for invertebrates, this is the role for you.

Remember, volunteers need to be at least 16 years old, and at least 18 if volunteering in Bugworld or the Butterfly Forest.

Gardens

Why not join the dedicated team who care for our award-winning gardens? You’ll need to volunteer one full day a week and physically it’s pretty hard, but we think you’ll find the surroundings interesting and inspiring – at any time of year.

We have opportunities at Bristol Zoo and at Hollywood Towers at Cribbs Causeway.

Presentations

This role involves volunteering with our Presentations Team. You start by helping out with the husbandry of our trained animals and other general tasks. As you gain confidence you may want to give enclosure presentations and help out behind the scenes with the Amazing Animals shows. These are great positions for anyone wanting to gain experience of volunteering with animals.

If you haven’t found the information you need here or you have a specific question about a volunteering role then please call 01179747363.

Grounds volunteers

Would you like to help keep our beautiful gardens and grounds even more tidy? If so, we have some volunteering opportunities that might suit you. We are looking for help with keeping the play area tidy, helping to segregate recyclable waste and litter picking in the zoo grounds and in our car parks.

We are initially looking for help on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday from 8.00am till 1.00pm or from 1.00pm till 5.00pm and a uniform would be provided.

Work Experience

Bristol Zoo Gardens runs a limited work experience programme with our animal sections during the summer each year, full details of our 2012 programme will be available in December.

For work experience with our Veterinary Services Department please contact Kellie Wyatt, Head Vet Nurse, kwyatt@bristolzoo.org.uk.   

If you are interested in carrying our work experience in any other section of the zoo then please contact Sarah Eason, season@bristolzoo.org.uk or telephone 0117 9747313.