Volunteer Updates & Opportunities:
Save the Date_2024 Events:
We are so excited to announce the dates for the events during the 2024 Season! We could not pull off these events without WONDERFUL volunteers just like you! If you are interested in the 2024 events, please SAVE THE DATES!
- May
- May 9th – Toast to the Wild _ Bourbon Flights
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- May 9th – Toast to the Wild _ Bourbon Flights
- June
- June 21st – ZooLaLa
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- June 21st – ZooLaLa
- July
- July 28th – Fiona Sundae Fundae
- Sign Ups will be available in Better Impact and e-mail reminder will be sent
- July 28th – Fiona Sundae Fundae
- August
- August 8th – Toast to the Wild _ Wild About Wine
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- August 8th – Toast to the Wild _ Wild About Wine
- September
- September 20th – Zoofari
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- September 20th – Zoofari
- October
- October 10th – Toast to the Wild _ Zoo Brew
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- October 13th, 20th & 27th – HallZOOween
- Sign Ups will be available in Better Impact and e-mail reminder will be sent
- October 10th – Toast to the Wild _ Zoo Brew
- November
- November 15th – *NEW EVENT* (Toast to the Wild Style event during Pre-FOL)
- Sign Ups will be sent via e-mail 4-6 weeks prior to the event
- November 15th – *NEW EVENT* (Toast to the Wild Style event during Pre-FOL)
- December
- December 31st – Happy Zoo Year
- Sign Ups will be available in Better Impact and e-mail reminder will be sent
- December 31st – Happy Zoo Year
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New Volunteer Opportunities:
There are several department who are recruiting new Volunteers for the upcoming 2024 season! If you are interested in adding to your volunteer resume, or looking to make a change, check out the new volunteer opportunities below. Click on the Applications do be redirected to the forms.
- CREW
- CREW Ambassadors
- CREW Ambassador Application (Only Open to Internal Applicants)
- Zoo Volunteer Observer
- ZVO Volunteer Description_1.19.2024.docx
- ZVO Application Form (Only Open to Internal Applicants)
- CREW Ambassadors
- Volunteer Diver
- Volunteer Diver Application (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
- Education
- Arrival Facilitator Volunteer: School Programs (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
- Horticulture
- Garden Engagement Ambassador Volunteer (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
- Garden Volunteer at Rockdale Urban Garden (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
- Pollinator Watch Volunteer (Open to Internal and External Applicants)
- Visitor Experience
- **COMING SOON**
- There will be Visitor Experience volunteer opportunities will be available for internal and external applicants soon. Check the website and future volunteer updates for additional information.
- **COMING SOON**
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Direct from Thane:
You never know what volunteering and a few bugs can accomplish. This story is from the charming NPR series, “unsung heroes.“
Zoo Updates:
Landscaping Classes
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Celebrating Fiona’s Upcoming 7th Birthday
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Don’t Miss the Penguin Parades
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Do the Zoo _ Adorable Winter Promo
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Goodbye to Timu
The First, and only, Test Tube Baby (born at the Cincinnati Zoo) passed away at the Omaha Zoo.
ZooTales
One of our favorite guests is back! Cody tells us all about the conservation work he’s been involved with recently, especially his work to help save seabirds and piping plovers.
Plant & Animal Updates:
New Baby Lesser Kudu:
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Snow Leopard
Guess who’s not complaining about this weather-Renji & Nubo! Snow leopards have a large nasal cavity that passes cold air through & warms it. They have a dense, woolly underfur & a thick tail that can be wrapped around them. Their huge, furry paws protect & cushion their feet
Renji celebrated a 13th Birthday on January 10th.
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Llyod Library_Between the Leaves – Dr. Valerie Pence
As the Lloyd Library’s exhibition, “Flora Mania,” celebrates flowering plants, host Meg Hanrahan speaks to Dr. Valerie Pence. Dr. Pence is the Director of Plant Research at the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Her work focuses on applying in vitro methods and cryobiotechnologies to the conservation of plant species that cannot be conserved in conventional seed banks, species known as exceptional species. In a world where 45% of plant species are threatened with extinction, listen as Dr. Pence talks about her work to save them.
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A Sad Goodbye to Snoop Logg
It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Snoop Logg, the beloved Alligator Gar at Manatee Springs.
North America Head Keeper, Lindsay Garrett, remembers Snoop fondly:
Snoop Logg was the best ambassador for his species imaginable, and he was absolutely the catalyst of my love for all gars. He was engaging, charismatic, and goofy which are not traits most folks associate with alligator gar. We knew he was special during his first time in with divers. We were a little nervous since he had never been in with people, but then he curiously approached the divers while they were getting ready on the ledge. He quickly became our favorite with his quirky behaviors like playing with his food, stopping to stare at guests through the viewing windows, or photo bombing our pictures of manatees. As time went by, he became the manatee welcoming committee (we think he thought he was a manatee). With every new set of manatees that came in, he would wait at the door to the back pool so he could go check them out. He was often seen swimming his way into a pile of sleeping manatees or nosing his way all the way under their tails just to peak out the other side. Sometimes this would cause a little commotion during the manatees’ feeding sessions in the back pool, and if we ever heard a coworker yell “SNOOP!” in loving frustration, we knew exactly what he was up to.
As stories about him got shared, he got a bit of a fan-following with zoo guests and staff. People would often ask about him, partially due to attention from social media too, and I even had one guest say that he visited Manatee Springs solely to get pictures of Snoop. After his passing, someone from the overnights staff wrote that “Snoop was a legend.” I hope he can stay a legend as we remember him going forward.
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Prehensile Tail Skink
The prehensile-tailed skink is the largest of all skinks! They are well adapted for life in trees & the only known species of skink with a prehensile tail. It is also the only known species of skink to be entirely herbivorous. See them in the Dragons! habitat on your next visit!
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Otter Fun
With a streamlined body, webbed feet, muscular tail, flexible body, and waterproof fur, otters are designed for swimming in search of fish, crayfish, and other aquatic creatures to eat.
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Spring Cleaning at Bowyer Barn
The existing walk-in cooler at Bowyer’s main barn has been removed in preparation for the implementation of a new organization system. The goal is to get the barn in top shape before the beginning of the busy spring season. The new design allows for more available floor space for large equipment, includes a rack system, other organizational features and even space to monitor on-going Trillium research.
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Giant Malaysian Katydids
It might be cold outside, but our World of the Insect building is nice and toasty for all of our tropical invertebrate species. Come check out these giant Malaysian katydids. This is the largest species of katydid in the world measuring over 5 inches and that’s not even including the antenna which are nearly twice as long as the body! They are very well camouflaged to stay safe from predators, and sometimes even the keepers have a had time spotting them in their habitat. The males have one of the loudest calls which they produce by rubbing the upper, darker portion of their wings together.
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Clouded Leopards
Clouded leopards have the largest teeth relative to body size of any cat species.
Conservation Corner:
Barrows Conservation Series
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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is commited to Saving Wildlife
Have you seen this new page on our website? Take a look around and see many of the ways we help wildlife and wild places all over the world!
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Coexistence Partner Webinars
These partners will present their projects, wildlife, communities, and conservation aspirations followed by a Q&A, where our partners will take questions from our CZBG community. Feel free to tune in from anywhere. These webinars are a chance to learn the stories of the conservation work the Zoo supports so you can share with our visitors and be advocates for the good work happening around the world.
‘23-’24 Webinar Schedule
Friends of Bonobos (Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary) – Candor Bourne
- Wednesday, January 24 at 11am
- Key topics: Bonobo habitat protection, reducing threat of wildlife trade, community engagement
- Zoom JOIN Link or Meeting ID 856 2962 1232 and Passcode 676653
SORALO – Mercy Waithira
- Tuesday, February 6 at 11:30am
- Key topics: Coexistence, pastoralism, African predators
- Zoom JOIN Link or Meeting ID 878 3271 2536 and Passcode 620935
International Elephant Foundation (IEF) – Julie Bates and Sarah Conley
- Thursday, February 14 at 12am
- Key topics: elephants, Sumatra, Conservation Response Units (CRUs)
- Zoom JOIN Link or Meeting ID 822 1448 1140 and Passcode 359290
The Ohio Bat Lab– Dr. Joe Johnson, Ph.D.
- Wednesday, February 21 at 12pm
- Key topics: Native bats, local conservation, bat-human conflict
- Zoom JOIN Link or Meeting ID 819 7944 5283 and Passcode 468822
Madtree Brewing & 1% for the Planet– Rhiannon Hoeweler
- Tuesday, March 5 at 12pm
- Key topics: Beer, 1% for the Planet, community partnership
- Zoom JOIN Link or Meeting ID 846 9937 5031 and Passcode 404270
Volunteer News:
Volunteer Emeritus:
Congratulations to Sandi Kelley! On January 19th, she made the official move to Volunteer Emeritus status. Sandi has been an incredible volunteer assisting with the Habitat Ambassadors Program (formerly Volunteer Educators) and with the Development department. Sandi has been a volunteer for over 10 years and logged over 900 volunteer hours. Thank you Sandi for your incredible commitment to the Zoo!
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A Sad Goodbye to a Cherished Volunteer
Message from Bev, Anne Zeitz’s Daughter
Hello Cincinnati Zoo Volunteer Group,
This is Bev Bolser, Anne Zeitz’s daughter. I wanted to let all of you know that my mom passed away this past Saturday. The Cincinnati Zoo was a big part of her life. She loved volunteering there for decades in her retirement years and enjoyed the friendship of all of you. Thank you for being a part of her beautiful life.
Click Here to View the Obituary