This week marks National Volunteers Week, the perfect time for us to reflect on and recognise the amazing contribution volunteers around the country make. We are so fortunate here at Zoos SA to have more than 600 volunteers dedicate their time at both Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park across 17 different programs.

This year’s theme for volunteer week is Give Happy Live Happy. We feel this sums up our volunteers attitude towards their work perfectly. Happy faces are definitely what greet our visitors each day. These happy faces set a welcoming scene and create anticipation for the visit to come. Positive and helpful, knowledgeable and informative, with a willingness to make everyone’s day special, these are the key attributes of all volunteers who take up this important role.

Volunteers are an integral part of our zoo operations contributing over 110,000 hours per year over many areas of the zoo.  Our volunteers come from many different backgrounds, have many different life experiences and yet all have at least one thing in common, the willingness to give their time to fulfil their passion for the environment and conservation.  Zoos SA is humbled by the generosity of the spirit and compassion of our volunteers who so generously give their time, warmth, humour and work so hard to meet our vision of connecting people with nature.  Our volunteers ask for nothing in return yet receive friendship, appreciation and satisfaction.  They do not ask for accolades, giving their time generously without any expectation of reward; yet receive the reward of comradeship with other volunteers who they may never have met otherwise. Lasting friendships, social activities and fun are just some of the unexpected rewards that our volunteers gain from their volunteering experience.

To all our volunteers please know that we genuinely appreciate and value your commitment of time to volunteering with Zoos SA and for this we thank you.