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Welcome to the Columbus Zoo Docent Association |
Are you interested in becoming a docent? If so, please read this information about us, and then go to our "Join the Docents" page for an application and details about the process.
If you’ve spent time at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, you have undoubtedly encountered red-shirted docents sharing animal information, answering visitor questions and interacting with Zoo staff members. These 300 volunteers are people-oriented animal lovers, ranging from young professionals to long-time retirees.
“Docent” comes from the Latin docere, meaning “to teach.” Consequently, education and staying current with changes in our ever-expanding zoo are of primary importance. Docents educate the public about our animals at the exhibit areas, conduct scheduled tours of the Zoo, and give talks to organizations. Docents are important members of the Zoo community and bring to their role a deep interest in the natural world and a desire to share that knowledge with others.
A comprehensive training program for would-be docents is offered once a year. Class members are introduced to keepers, curators and other key staff members, explore all parts of the Zoo and get a taste of the exciting times to come.
Senior docents take advantage of many opportunities to expand their knowledge. Meetings focusing on each Zoo region are held monthly, as well as periodic Continuing Education sessions, keeper talks and programs featuring guest lecturers. Topics include everything from new arrivals or impending births to expanded facilities and services to reports on field research.
Docent Association activities are concentrated in three main areas of public contact: Tours, Talks and Regions.
Docent-led tours scheduled by the Zoo’s Education Department most often involve school groups or college classes. Tour conductors tailor information and animal visits to meet the objectives of the group leaders. Administration-requested tours are for smaller groups and include behind-the-scene visits to predetermined exhibits.
On-grounds talks are done in the entry plaza, giving the public a chance to see and touch some of our smaller animals. For outreach programs at pre-schools, after-school programs, senior centers or nursing homes, docents partner with Promotions staff members and share teaching responsibilities.
“Working a region“ generally means spending three hours in one of the Zoo’s four mega-regions: African Forest/Australia and the Islands, The Shores, Mainland Asia and North America. Docents talk with interested visitors about Zoo animals, the species in general, problems in the wild and/or conservation efforts. The flood of school groups in spring and busy weekends in summer call for an additional element of crowd control as docents strive to prevent harassment and stand ready to radio keepers to report heat or stress-related problems among the animals.
Docents also devote many hours each year to assisting keepers or other staff members. This might include developing items for animal enrichment, helping with conservation projects or staffing information booths at special exhibits. An invaluable service is in the area of animal watches. Docents provide keepers with detailed descriptions of animal introductions, early signs of labor, infant-adult interactions or aggressive behaviors. Watches can take place at an exhibit, behind the scenes, via video tape or at the docent office computer.
The purpose of the Docent Association shall be to promote the educational, recreational, conservation and biological inquiry missions of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium by providing volunteers to:
Being a docent is truly an interesting and rewarding volunteer opportunity. To learn more about the Columbus Zoo Docent Association activities or their training program, go "Join the Docents" or contact the Docent desk at 614-645-3483.