The Philadelphia Zoo Docent Council, founded in 1972, is one of the oldest and, with approximately 200 members, one of the largest docent organizations in the Philadelphia area. Our docents are a diverse group of men and women who, working with the Zoo's education department, share their enthusiasm for animals, wildlife and conservation with Zoo visitors and the community.
"Docent" is a word derived from the Latin docere, which means "teacher." Today it refers to volunteer teachers. Each docent completes a training program that includes conservation, biology, Zoo history, animal behavior, adaptations, habitats and more. They also learn specific information about the animals in the Philadelphia Zoo and the Zoo's art, architecture and horticulture. Teaching techniques are included in the docent curriculum as well, since not all docents have teaching backgrounds.
Docents participate in a variety of programs within and outside the Zoo. In the Zoo, they give
guided tours, ranging from general tours to special tours on adaptations, endangered species, habitats, Zoo horticulture, art and architecture. Docents also staff Just Ask carts and mobile stations located throughout the Zoo where docents use artifacts and biofacts to engage the public in conversation, answer questions and serve as interpreters of the animal kingdom.
Docents also contribute to offsite outreach efforts through audio-visual presentations and education programs such as Earth Savers. The
Ask an Expert program gives inquisitive youngsters and adults visiting the Zoo online an opportunity to have animal-related questions answered.
To advance Docent Council communications, docents publish a quarterly newsletter, Docent Data, which contains news about Zoo programs and exhibits, book reviews and in-depth articles about animals and conservation.