Our docents have a special relationship with the animals that call the Zoo home. Spending more time than any visitor on the guest-facing side of animal habitats gives them unique insight into the behaviors, growth, and personalities of the full range of species at the Zoo. So, what do they observe over years of dedicated watching, learning, and caring? We’re sharing some of their favorite interactions and stories.
Free-Range Fun
In July 1993, the Zoo instigated, along with other Zoos, a free-range tamarin program to train zoo-born golden lion tamarins to live in the wild prior to being sent to reserves south of Rio de Janeiro. For the first year, we released two emperor tamarins (Hop and Valencia, affectionately known collectively as HopnVal) to see how the program would work. The free-range area was where the Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel is now. Docents worked two-hour shifts every day until the Zoo closed and all guests had departed. Val was especially aggressive and fearless, chasing squirrels, hunting birds, and running across Treetops to visit the gorillas. She also had no fear climbing down the rock wall into what was the Aquatics section of the Zoo (now the LAIR) and confronting Zoo guests. At the end of the year, HopnVal were retired, and two golden lion tamarins were released to the wild. The program concluded after five years when released golden lion tamarins had successfully reproduced to the carrying capacity of the reserves. This is the best and most fun project I worked on at the Zoo. – Bill Mandel
Gentle Giant
In my beginning docent years, I was a Research Department volunteer observing gorillas. At that time there were three separate groups, and our current silverback, Kelly, was about Angela’s age (still a juvenile), living with his mom, grandmother and dad, Jim. A peahen decided the gorilla habitat would be a great place to raise her family. I watched Jim sitting quietly as the chicks headed toward him, and when they got next to him, they couldn’t figure out how they could continue and became very agitated. Jim very gently picked each one up and moved them to the other side of his body, where they continued their journey. Kelly learned how to be a dad from one of the best. – Paulette Heath
Shared Excitement: 100%
We often wonder if the animals miss us, or we ask ourselves if they look at us the same way we look at them. On the first day back following the pandemic Zoo closure, I was one of the first persons into the Zoo and the first to walk up to the zebra habitat. The two female zebras rushed over to greet me and—with what seemed like excitement—ran back and forth along the front of their enclosure. They hadn’t seen people on the guest side for so long and were utterly entranced. I’m not entirely sure who was more excited! – Liz La Dou
Shared DNA: 97%
A guest was feeding a baby in her arms with a bottle of milk when the bottle dropped over the fence into the exhibit area. Orangutan Berani grabbed the bottle and gave it to her mother, who had her own baby cuddled close. While I called the keeper, Berani’s mother put the bottle into the baby orangutan’s mouth. But Berani had other ideas. She grabbed the bottle, and I thought she was going to give it to the keeper to get the treat the keeper offered. But no, she stopped and unscrewed the top. She gave the top to her mother, and Berani had the bottle, then they each got a treat. Now, that’s thoughtfulness.
Similarly, one day orangutan Rosie got ahold of some bubblegum. She put it in her mouth and started chewing, while I called the keeper. When Rosie saw the keeper, she stopped chewing and clamped her mouth shut. The keeper held up a treat and said, “Give it to me,” but Rosie picked up a stick and offered it to the keeper instead. The keeper pointed to her own mouth, and said several times “Give me what’s in your mouth.” Rosie thought for a few minutes, then picked up some grass, chewed it, and offered it to the keeper. That’s pretty smart! Finally, Rosie gave up the gum, as she really wanted that treat. – Muriel Horacek
During COVID I heard a ruckus at one of the bridges at Red Ape Rain Forest. Orangutan Kalim had somehow gotten a bottle of hand sanitizer. I called the keeper who came up right away, armed with the best treats imaginable. “Kalim, let me have the bottle.” She gave a strong non-verbal NO by pulling it toward her. But then, smart Kalim remembered: Giving things up equals getting treats. So she tossed the cap and got a treat. Then she tossed the pump and got another. She tossed leaves; nope, no treats that time. By then Rosie and Elka had come to inspect, and all three took the bottle far from the watchful eyes of the keeper. They passed it around, filled it with water from the pond, swished the water around, and drank what was left. Elka “volunteered” to hand in the empty bottle, got a banana, and incurred Rosie’s wrath for spoiling their fun. – Mona Rosenthal
Creating Connections
I visited the Zoo when I was housesitting in the area in the late 1980s. I saw the Animals & You presentation that included a favorite animal of mine, a hedgehog. The docents explained I, too, could become a docent—and present Animals & You. I vowed that if I moved to the area, I would do just that. I graduated in 1994 and did Animals & You for 25 years until COVID. Patrons loved being able to see animals up close and ask specific questions. Many became members to check in frequently with their favorites. I cannot count the number of patrons whose opinions we changed over the years about snakes and opossums! Someone in their group would want to approach and they’d be afraid. A conversation later, they’d better understand the importance of snakes and opossums, completely changing their opinion and perspective. Animals & You was an invaluable asset for the Zoo as well as our neighborhood wildlife, and I’m proud to have been a part of it for so long. – Lisa Milne
People Bonds
I was serving as a roving Ambassador, speaking with guests at the flamingo exhibit, the gorillas, the giraffes, and the siamangs as they serenaded visitors. I was wrapping up my shift at the Francois langur house, speaking with a young family when, as I turned to leave, the mother said, “This is my favorite part of the Zoo.” I queried about the langurs and she replied, “No, speaking to a docent!” and explained her appreciation for answers to questions and information she might not think to have questions about. In short, for “making me feel welcomed at the Zoo.” I thanked her and my heart swelled. Being a docent makes a difference! – Cathy Bell
