How to become a Volunteer

There are many ways that you can give your time to support us and help us achieve our vision of a world where wildlife thrives.

From downloading our Instant Wild app and helping us identify endangered species from the comfort of your sofa, to wading into the Thames to count fish or pick up plastic bottles, the ways to support us aren't just available in our Zoos. 

That being said, the heart of our ability to inform, inspire and empower people about our work really does lie with our ability to talk to people who visit our Zoos or live in our local community.

So take a look at volunteering opportunities on offer regularly as they're never the same! We're certain you'll find the right fit for you, when the time is right.

Check for volunteer opportunities

What do volunteers do?

We have many different opportunities to volunteer at ZSL, some that happen regularly and some that may only come up once, but either way, all our volunteers are an important part of the ZSL community and contribute so much.  

• We have one-off,  light-touch and remote volunteering opportunities to dip your toes in the water!

• We have roles on site at our Zoos supporting our visitors to have a great day out and behind the scenes supporting our animal and veterinary teams care for our animals. 

• We have roles that support our conservation fieldwork here in the UK and sometimes even overseas.

We also have other opportunities crop up all the time to help with specific projects or pieces of work, so keep a regular eye on our website so you don't miss out on the perfect opportunity for you!

How do I become a volunteer?

We don’t take on new volunteers all year round, so do keep an eye on our website and apply whenever an opportunity comes up that you would be interested in. Each role is different but we don’t ask for vast amounts of experience and we'll support you when you join us. If you are as passionate as we are about wildlife, conservation and achieving our vision of a world where wildlife thrives, you'll fit in perfectly!

We are committed to making our recruitment practices as barrier-free and accessible as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently or have a query regarding your application to volunteer, please contact the Volunteer Management Team. 

Thank you!

Our volunteers are invaluable to us and we really couldn't achieve what do, without their support. If you have volunteered with us in the past or are considering doing so in the future, let us just take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for going on this journey with us, we will support you every step of the way!