Volunteer roles

Please take a look at the different roles below.  If you feel you would enjoy any of these, and can meet the suggested commitment, then please download an application form on the right hand side of this page.

Gardens volunteers needed for Wild Place

Volunteers are required to help develop a themed vegetable garden which will help to feed some of the animals at Wild Place.

The volunteers will be helping out to develop this project alongside other tasks that will be required of them such as minor landscaping, vegetable gardening and conservation of the plants in the surrounding grounds.

This role will be carried out for one day a week on either Thursdays or Fridays at the Wild Place grounds towards Cribbs Causeway.

Volunteers must be able to carry out physical tasks such as digging, weeding and be happy to be outside in all weathers.

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please fill in a volunteer application form and return it to the address on the bottom of the form marked “WPG volunteer” to N Druce.   

Children’s Craft Volunteers

Spend your day being creative in our Activity Centre….more

Ranger Volunteers

We’re looking for confident people who enjoy talking to our guests…more

Animal Encounter Volunteers

You’ll be introducing our visitors to some of our minibeasts and other smaller animals…more

Presentations volunteers

This role supports our Presentations staff…more

Gardens volunteers

Why not join the dedicated team who care for our award-winning gardens?...more

Keeper volunteers

This scheme offers the opportunity to support our Keeper staff. This scheme is extremely popular and so spaces are very limited…more

Guest Services volunteers

We are looking for confident, out-going people to lend support to our very busy Guest Services team…more

Work Experience

Find out more about work experience here

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. 

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Ranger Volunteers

We’re looking for confident people who enjoy talking to our guests 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, 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.

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Animal Encounter Volunteers

You’ll be introducing our visitors some of our minibeasts and other smaller animals in ‘Animal Encounters’. These take place every day in the Terrace Theatre. 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.

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Presentations volunteers

This role supports our Presentations staff, helping with ‘Feed the lorikeets’ experience, the Lemur walkthrough, husbandry of our trained animals, and other general tasks.  It may be possible to help behind the scenes during our Amazing Animal shows.

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

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Gardens volunteers

Why not join the dedicated team who care for our award-winning gardens? We’d like you to volunteer one full day a week and you would be volunteering alongside staff.  Physically it’s pretty hard, but we think you’ll find the surroundings inspiring at any time of year.

We have Gardens volunteers both at Bristol Zoo and at Hollywood Towers at Cribbs Causeway.

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Keeper volunteers

This scheme offers the opportunity to support our Keeper staff. This scheme is extremely popular and so spaces are very limited.

It’s also a long, hard day, as we would like 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 would volunteer alongside a member of staff.

Volunteers need to be at least 16 years old.

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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 guest 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 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.

If interested, please contact Yvonne or Nikki, Volunteer Services Assistants on 0117 9747363 or e-mail ycollins@bristolzoo.org.uk or ndruce@bristolzoo.org.uk

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If you have further questions please give us a call on 0117 9747363.