2008 - 2009 Annual Report - Zoos South Australia

CONTENTSYear In ReviewPresident and CEO’s ReportConservation ProgramsAssets and InfrastructureConservation EducationThe AnimalsLiving collectionsThreatened SpeciesOperationsCommunications and PartnershipsVisitor ExperiencesVolunteer ProgramsVisitor ExperienceEvents reportHuman ResourcesFinancial ReportFinalsVolunteer ProgramsVolunteers are vital to support operations at Zoos SA. Withthe Giant Pandas arriving and new developments rapidlyunfolding at both Monarto and Adelaide Zoos, there hasnever been a more exciting time to join our Volunteerprograms – nor a greater need.The duties for Volunteer Guides at both Adelaide andMonarto Zoos are expanding with the increasing visitation,and our Volunteers remain the ‘face’ of the Zoo.Monarto Volunteer Guides have remained dedicated andflexible with operational trials during school holidays in 2009to move increasing number of visitors throughout the Zoowhile still providing ‘face-to-face’ commentary.Volunteer Guides and Information Centre Volunteers havebeen adjusting well as changes occur with the building worksaround the Zoo. The Adelaide Zoo Wildlife Walkabout Toursare working well and the Envirodome also became a role forthe duty Guides with its opening in March 09.Pre-booked walking tours of the Adelaide Zoo kept ourGuides very busy on top of their rostered duty, with 196guide spots from 48 bookings.Afterhours Walks which are booked with Private Functionshave also kept our Afterhours guides busy with 55 bookingsinvolving 365 guide spots between September 08 and April09. Donations collected from these walks are managedthrough the VRG and go to the VRG Native ConservationFund. Many thanks to All Leisure Hospitality for theirassistance with this very successful service.With our rapidly growing Zoo Membership, our New MemberTours have been more popular than ever. We will continueto provide this wonderful service which is led by Zoo Guidesand coordinated by Volunteer Bev Kuehn. The team does agreat job to arrive bright and early and guide new Membersaround the Zoo, including a few behind-the-scenes snippetsof information and then finishing with tea and coffee back atthe Volunteer Centre.Zoo Youth has had another very successful period. Zoo Youthhas held service days at Monarto Zoo on two occasionsduring 08/09 and has had the opportunity to help out bycleaning up the new Chimpanzee area, moving rocks to thelion area, planting trees, cleaning out night quarters andseveral other hands-on tasks.Zoo Youth has helped out in the Children’s Zoo at AdelaideZoo on several occasions and as part of their craft activitiesalso had the task of designing an animal of their choice, thenmaking it out of papier mache.Zoo Youth Coordinators have been dedicated to the successof Zoo Youth and we have four Volunteers who have beenco-ordinating the group for over five years. We have also hadVisitor Experience & Operations - 1 of 2