Job opportunities

Keeper Volunteer Farm Section

Keeper Volunteers assist the animal teams with their daily routine and focus on a specific animal section. 

Hullabazoo Farm is an interactive, up-close adventure area, where visitors can meet and greet a range of farmyard animals, including miniature donkeys, pygmy goats, pigs, sheep and guinea pigs. This role involves both supporting the Keeper Team with a range of day-to-day animal care tasks and engaging with visitors inside the walk through. More experienced volunteers may have the chance to be involved in animal handling, grooming, animal training and meet and greet experiences.

This role runs throughout the year and we are looking for a regular commitment of one day per week.  We can be flexible around which day this is on discussion with your volunteer supervisor.

The hours will be agreed with the relevant section but are likely to be 8am to 5pm or 8am to 4pm in the winter

Volunteer positions will last for a fixed period of 6 months.

Main tasks the volunteer will undertake include :

• Cleaning animal enclosures and houses
• Helping to maintain public viewing areas
• Preparing food for the animals.
• Supporting positive visitor experiences by good customer service and visitor engagement.
• Monitoring animal behaviour and public interactions where required

Anticipated qualities, skills or experience the volunteer will bring to the role :

•  A willingness to learn and follow instructions to the letter.
• Good communication skills and the initiative to check if unsure of what needs to be done or that instructions are properly understood
• A good degree of fitness as many of the tasks are very physical in nature
• Comfortable to be outside all day in extremes of weather.
• Ability to work calmly and sensitively in animal environments
• Appreciation that many procedures are in place to maintain health and safety for all staff and volunteers and must be adhered to exactly
•  Reliability to attend when expected and to keep the team informed if you are not able to come in.
• Commitment and regular attendance
• Ability to demonstrate ZSL’s values – inspiring, innovative, impactful, collaborative, ethical

Reliability and regular attendance is extremely important for this role. Whipsnade Zoo is based in a rural location in Bedfordshire so do consider travel time and your availability before applying.