Volunteer Updates & Opportunities
VOLUNTEER YEAR-END SURVEY TIME!
It’s that time of the year, Folks, where you get to anonymously “tell it like it is”. Please click the link below to answer a few questions and help us improve the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Adult Volunteer Program!
CZBG Adult Volunteer Program Survey 2025 Form
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It’s time for the “BEAR BELLY for CHICK-FIL-A” CHALLENGE!
Think you know how much our bears can eat? Put your guessing skills to the test!
Did you know? Before hibernation, bears go through a stage called hyperphagia, when they eat (and eat, and eat!) to pack on the pounds they need for Winter. Our keepers support this natural behavior by letting the bears be bears — giving them plenty of nutritious foods and opportunities to forage, snack, and explore.
Each week, our hungry bear cubs chow down on pounds of apples, peanuts, popcorn, lettuce, and fish — and we want YOU to guess just how much they eat!
- Guess the closest amount for each food item and you could fill your own belly with free Chick-fil-A (sandwiches or nuggets!)
- Guess the total amount for the week and you could win our Grand Prize Pack — 4 Festival of Lights tickets + 4 Chick-fil-A coupons!
Fill out the form below to enter the Bear Belly Challenge! Good luck! *Winners will be notified directly.
Click HERE to begin the Bear Belly Challenge
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FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS PREVIEW NIGHT – Wednesday, November 19
Employees and Volunteers are invited to celebrate the 43rd annual launch of PNC Festival of Lights with family and friends at the FOL Preview Night on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 5-9pm. ❄️
- Complimentary drinks and treats in Treetops 1 & 2 from 5:00–9:00pm
- DJ JonJon the Elf in Vine Street Village at 5:00pm
- Tree Lighting Ceremony in Vine Street Village at 6:00pm
- Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus in Santa’s Village at 6:45pm
- And plenty more festive surprises!
This is a private event for our invited guests only.
Each employee/volunteer may reserve up to 5 tickets (including themselves).
*Please use the LINK POSTED IN THE EMAIL associated with this newsletter to reserve your free tickets.
Thank you for all your support this year! 🎄
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FOOD & COAT Collection in the EDUCATION Building
FOOD: Collecting through November
Some donation ideas: canned fruits/veggies, beans, tuna/chicken, soups, stews, and broths or packaged foods like rice, pasta, cereal, nut/seed butters, and shelf-stable milks/juices, granola bars, mac & cheese
**POSSIBLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY** Organizers may need additional help with sorting/delivering the donated items. Please reach out to me via email if interested: [email protected].
Or make a generous impact by giving a monetary donation to local food pantries: Freestore Food Bank, Saint Francis Seraph Ministries, or Last Mile Food Rescue. Thank you for your support!
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COATS: The Education Building will also be collecting gently used, like new, or brand-new coats from now until Nov.19th.
Avondale Development Corporation and partners are hosting the 2025 Avondale Community Thanksgiving – Unity to the Community Event!
For years, the Zoo has supported the Avondale Community Council and Avondale Development Corporation’s efforts to make Thanksgiving a joyous and accessible holiday for our neighbors. This year, you can help spread the love by supporting our coat collection and donation drive! Our partners are collecting new/gently-used coats and PayPal donations for their Unity to the Community Thanksgiving celebrations.
Scan QR Code to donate
Fundraising goal of $9,400 for food items, reusable bags, Hot Meal provided by Neighborhood Heroes, and other necessary supplies. This year they’re preparing to serve 250 families! Please consider The Avondale Community when making your decision to donate. Thank you!
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“Don’t Dump the ‘Nati” Waste Drop Off Event
Don’t Dump the Nati was created to lower the amount of illegal dumping by providing a place for Cincinnati residents to drop off waste for free.
FINAL DUMP DATE: November 21st, 9am-1pm
​Vehicles that are not allowed:
- Double axle trailers
- Trailers 8ft or longer
- Box trucks 15ft or larger
- All dump trucks
​​Location: 3929 Cherry St, Cincinnati, OH 45223 (Enter Cherry St from Cooper St or Powers St.)
​Accepted: General trash, electronic waste, old furniture, scrap metal, yard waste, construction debris, and tires (10 per vehicle per event).
Not Accepted: Biohazards, hazardous chemicals, oil, compressed gas cannisters, and refrigerant containing items.​
​​​​In an attempt to be more environmentally friendly we are adding more waste diversion options. We will be having a dedicated dumpster for yard waste, scrap metal, tires, electronic waste, cardboard recycling, and concrete and rocks. Download the site plan below to be prepared for when you show up.
*For more details, please click this link: Keep Cincinnati Beautiful*
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NEW VOLUNTEER POSITION POSTINGS (& more to come!)
Please help spread the word (& link: https://cincinnatizoo.org/volunteer) – lots of volunteer areas are now accepting applications!
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Join Zoo Volunteer Observers!
The Zoo Volunteer Observers (ZVO) are looking for additional volunteers!
What is ZVO? Zoo Volunteer Observers (ZVO) complete animal observations remotely and in person for various reasons, including birth watch and behavior. While assisting with these watches, volunteers are asked to complete 4-hour shifts that can be scheduled 24 hours/day. While completing these observations, volunteers are asked to take detailed notes and observe for behavior changes.​Â
There is an IMMEDIATE need for Monday night shift: Midnight – 4am
Volunteer Opportunity: Records Digitization Assistants Needed!
We’re looking for 2–4 experienced Zoo volunteers (1+ year of service) to help with an important records digitization project. Volunteers will assist with organizing and scanning archived materials — tasks that require attention to detail, reliability, and confidentiality. Flexible weekday shifts are available between 9am and 4pm, with training provided.
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Sensory Santa Registration Now Open! 🎅
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Zoo Access for All program is designed to encourage families and individuals of all backgrounds to visit our world-class organization to build lifelong and multi-generational memories.
Please join us for a sensory-friendly Santa meet & greet, where the following accommodations will be made for visitors with sensory sensitivities and/or developmental disabilities and their families:
• Reservation times to avoid standing in a traditional line
• Meet & greets happen before crowds arrive for Festival of Lights
• Lights and music will be lowered
• A separate chair next to Santa
• 10-minute reservations to allow time for visitors to adjust to the setting and meet Santa
• Santa has received training on developmental disabilities by Dr. Jen Smith of the Children’s Hospital LEND program
These experiences DO NOT INCLUDE ADMISSION to the Zoo, which must be purchased separately. Memberships may be used for entry to the Zoo.
Directions and resources to prepare for your trip will be emailed to you with your timed reservation ticket.
Please Note: This event is anticipated to fill up. If you reserve a time and need to change it, we will try to accommodate as space allows. However, we can’t guarantee accommodation of your request.
If you prefer Santa wear a mask during your visit, please indicate so under the “additional information” section when you go to checkout.
PNC Festival of Lights Social Narrative
Sensory Santa Social Narrative
2025 Sensory-Friendly Santa Dates: We will be offering Sensory Santa from 1pm-3pm, with 10 minute time slots for each day.
- November 22 & 23
- November 29 & 30
- December 6 & 7
- December 13 & 14
- December 20 & 21
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Animal Enrichment Christmas Wishlist!
Want to help support the animals here at the Zoo? What better way than to add some enrichment in their lives (especially for the holidays)! For those interested, we created an Amazon Wishlist full of lots of goodies for our favorite critters. Keep those eyes peeled for the Black Friday deals! (Items will be delivered to the zoo. Thank you in advance for your help spoiling our friends!)
Who is it for? For the chickens Flannel and Taffeta, hornbills Blue and Satchmo, crow Tippi to stab and roll around. Our skunks Lily and Glacier, along with opossums Ellie and Opal will also love these!
Who is it for: For Scamp, Kal, Frankie and Otis to encourage and continue play with keepers!
We currently have old tunnels that our skunks and rabbits love to chill in and explore, looking for an upgrade for them!
These will be fun puzzle feeders to keep our meerkats busy and stimulated through the winter.
Clouded Salamanders that came to our zoo from Japan over 33 years ago, far exceeding their expected lifespan! It is likely they are even older than 33. Salamanders love wedging themselves into tight spaces.
We encourage you to check out all the items (and who they’re for!) by clicking the Wishlist image below. Thanks so much for your generous consideration!
Zoo Updates
Veterans Day: Free Admission for Military – Tuesday, November 11
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Zoo ONLINE Auction November 6-13, 2025
Take home some wild art from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden! Bid now-November 13 on unique works of art that will delight the recipient and also raise funds for the Zoo! The proceeds of this auction support the Zoo and conservation work the Zoo is doing around the globe.
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Cincinnati Zoo Membership Sale: Happening Now Through December 31 
Plant & Animal Updates
Happy 16th Birthday, Kenge! (November 6)
The Cincinnati Zoo supports Friends of Bonobos with their Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary. FOB works to rescue bonobos, particularly those orphaned by illegal hunting, and engage Congolese communities by promoting better futures through conservation rather than the bushmeat trade. This community engagement helps protect bonobos as well as the rainforest and other species that rely on it.
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Sabu Gets Elephant-Sized Shot in Joints
Many humans, especially athletes, experience joint pain and often treat it with medications and/or joint injections. Pain management options are not so simple for Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s 10,000+-pound bull elephant.
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ZOO TALES – Spooky Series: The Truth About Vampire Bats
Sink your teeth into this Spooky Series episode featuring the Zoo’s fascinating vampire bats! 🦇 Jenna and Mark are joined by keeper Amber to uncover the truth behind these mysterious nocturnal creatures. Learn more about their personalities, enrichment, adaptations and care! Amber also debunks myths about bats!
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Who has four fingers and a thumb? This Guy! Mboka discovering his fun, five digits:
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Celebrating Sweet & Sassy Black Rhino Seyia
Seyia (aka Zuri), Cincinnati Zoo’s beloved female Black Rhino, was born on September 28, 2009, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She joined the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden family in August 2013 and has been stealing hearts ever since!
At 16 years old, Seyia has grown into a sweet, sassy, and incredibly affectionate rhino. She’s been with us since she was just three, and it’s been a joy to watch her personality shine. Her favorite things in life? Getting attention (and plenty of scratches) from her keepers—and, of course, enjoying her favorite treats like strawberry jam and apple-oat horse cookies!
And now, it’s Seyia’s turn for a new adventure! Seyia moved to her new home at the Milwaukee County Zoo on October 23.
While it’s always bittersweet to say goodbye, we’re thrilled that Seyia will continue to contribute to rhino conservation and hopefully welcome future calves in her new home.
Though our rhino barn is a little quieter right now, this isn’t goodbye forever. While Seyia is starting a new chapter, we’re already planning an exciting, brand-new, state-of-the-art habitat for rhinos right here at the Cincinnati Zoo!
This future space will be bigger, better, and even more enriching, ensuring that when rhinos return to Cincinnati, they’ll have the best home possible.
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Chatting with Cedar, the Screech Owl
Click HERE to Check Out this Adorable Video on FACEBOOK
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The Real Story of Wolfsbane: Saving Ohio’s Threatened Wildflower
CREW scientists are helping bring Ohio populations of Aconitum noveboracense back from near death by researching best the cultivation practices in order to provide plants for restoration.
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Box Turtle Rescue Update
Here’s a box turtle update from Mollie O’Neil and Jenna Lamping. Reasons to watch…
- you like turtles
- you don’t know what brumation is
- you don’t know what color male box turtles’ eyes are
- Jenna and Mollie are great
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Guess Who’s A BIG 3-month-old?! MARSHMALLOW!
Conservation Corner
Conservation Project Update: ABC Director sees promise and pitfalls in massive project
A development project of unprecedented scale is being launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo: the Kivu–Kinshasa Green Corridor, an ecological zone linking the east and west of the country, presented as one of the largest protected forest corridors in Africa. It covers 550,000 square kilometers, taking in huge swaths of primary forests and carbon-rich peatlands.
Our conservation partners are advocating for these efforts to reflect the voices and needs of local communities. Find out more HERE.
More about the Green Corridor Project: Peace News
Sustainability Stories
Gratitude for our Garden from a Youth Center Resident
Our horticulture team has been working with Hamilton County Juvenile Court (HCJC) on a project called, “Grow Together,” transforming part of our outdoor recreation space at the Youth Detention Center into an urban learning garden.
An original poem, dedicated to zoo staff and volunteers, written by a resident, was read at a celebration, organized by Youth Center staff, in October. It was part of the official dedication of the space and included the installation of plaques to commemorate the tremendous gift and impact it is making on residents. The poem:
For the full article, please click the following link: https://juvenile-court.org/uncategorized/gratitude-for-our-garden-from-a-youth-center-resident/
In Case You Missed It
Cincinnati Zoo AIP Info Session – Tuesday, Nov. 11
Deepen your connection to community and conservation, mobilize social change, and use inquiry to guide your research while earning your master’s degree from Miami University!
The Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) is a one-of-a-kind, online master’s degree program from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and Project Dragonfly, in partnership with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Created for working professionals, the AIP immerses students in collaborative inquiry and action as they champion change for the environment and their local community.
Join the Fall Info Session Zoom call to get all of your questions answered, Tuesday, November 11, at 6pm!
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Carol Trosset’s Lecture Series
Carol’s Natural History Lecture Series has been a HUGE hit and she has agreed to extend the series through the end of the year! Take a look at the topics that will be available through December! You can sign up to attend in Better Impact!
- November 13 – Odd-Toed Hoofed Mammals – This group of mammals includes horses, zebras, tapirs, and rhinos.
- December 10 – Plants in Winter – How do plants survive the winter? We will examine different survival strategies used by our local plants.
*Review the PowerPoint presentations from the previous lectures below
- Tuesday January 14, 2025 – Cat-like Carnivores
- Tuesday February 11, 2025 – Vernal Pools
- Thursday March 13, 2025 – Dog-like Carnivores
- Thursday April 10, 2025 – Woodland Wildflowers
- Tuesday May 13, 2025 – Introduction to Birdwatching
- Thursday June 12, 2025 – Primates
- Thursday, July 17, 2025 – Insects with Dr. David Russell
- No Slideshow Shared
- August 15 – Desert Life.
- September 16 – Zoo Opera
- October 16 – Even-Toed Hoofed Mammals – This group of mammals includes deer, antelope, giraffes, camels, pigs, and hippos.
The monthly natural history lecture series for volunteers will continue in 2026.
If you would like to help influence the timing or the topics of the lectures, please answer our three-question survey below:
NATURAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES SURVEY
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Do you crave an out-of-the-ordinary intimate travel experience?
Come travel with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden! We have been taking folks around the globe since 1964. Our trips are adventurous, educational, and fun. All our tours are escorted by zoo naturalists who are knowledgeable, friendly, and well-traveled. Our trips create real-life connections with like-minded travelers. Come join us today on our next exciting adventure!
Questions? Please contact Christina Anderson at 513-487-3318 or [email protected]
- Monarch Migration to Mexico February 10 – 16, 2026, led by Brian Jorg, Horticulture Manager.
- Bird Watching in CUBA! February 22 – March 1, 2026, led by David Orban, Director, Animal Science and Strategy (ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!)
- Tanzania – October 4 – 16, 2026 – more details coming soon…
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UPCOMING ZOO EVENTS:
| Date: | Event: | Time: |
| Friday, November 14th, 2025 | Hops & Holly | 7:00-10:00pm |
| Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 | PNC FOL Member Preview Night | 5:00-9:00pm |
| November 20th, 2025 – January 4th, 2026 | PNC Festival of Lights | 4:00pm+ |
| Wednesday, November 22nd, 2025 | Native Plant Symposium | 8:00am-4:00pm |
| Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Early countdown at 8pm | HAPPY ZOO YEAR | 4:00-10:00pm |
DAD-JOKE ZONE…Just beeeeecause:
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