During the entire month of November, the Minnesota Zoo​ will be sharing stories of the many rescued and rehabilitated animals that we care for. All of our animals receive amazing care from zoo staff, volunteers and community members. All of this work is made possible because of YOUR amazing support – thank you! Check back daily as we feature a new story from around the Zoo.

The Minnesota Zoo has an amazing corps of 1,110 volunteers who support our mission, vision and values with their time, talent and treasure.  This past year, volunteers donated 111,014 hours of service to the Zoo. The value of those hours can be computed by using a per hour salary of $24.83 (according to the National Council of Non-Profits) which equates to a value of $2,756,502.  That’s pretty impressive!

Of course dollars and hours do not even begin to represent how grateful we are for all that our Minnesota Zoo volunteers do at the Zoo. Every day a group of 15 to 40 dedicated volunteers in blue or green shirts walk the exhibit trails at the Zoo ready to answer your questions, point you in the right direction and very often provide just the right ingredients for magical moments that make unforgettable memories.

Volunteers also spend time supporting projects behind the scenes at the Zoo. This past summer a group of volunteers observed the critically endangered Dakota Skipper Butterfly to document reproduction. Our research staff learned a lot about Dakota skippers over the 10 days of observation. 14 females layed viable eggs…10 of these mating events were observed by Zoo Volunteers. Had it not been for their assistance, we would not have been able to have accurate pedigree data for these endangered animals. The 14 mating events produced 254 larvae hatches. Fingers crossed, they will become adult butterflies in the middle of summer 2016.

Our thank bank phone caller volunteers for the Zoo Foundation fulfill a need by connecting with our donors to let them know that we really appreciate their support. Donors also have a chance to ask questions about the Zoo that our volunteer callers can usually answer or know how to get the right answer. One of our phone bank callers use to be a volunteer on zoo property for years but now lives in North Carolina. With cell phones and free long distance, she still feels connected to the Minnesota Zoo and appreciates being able to support our mission in her volunteer role making phone calls.

Indeed there are more than 50 different programs at the Minnesota Zoo that benefit from volunteer support. The Farmers Market, Farm to Fork Garden, Conservation Carousel, Wells Fargo Family Farm, Summer Camp ZooTeens, Special Events, this list could go on and on. The dedication of our volunteers does not go unnoticed and we are both humbled and grateful to have such a phenomenal corps of volunteers. Minnesota Zoo Volunteers truly are helping the Zoo in achieving the mission of “connecting people, animals and the natural world to save wildlife.”

We are always looking for new volunteers and have programs for teenagers through “senioragers.”  Please visit www.mnzoo.org for more information on all of the volunteer opportunities here at the Minnesota Zoo.