Intro:
CSSC members volunteered at Edinburgh Zoo, helping with gardening and animal enrichment while learning more about conservation work at the zoo.
Intro:
CSSC members volunteered at Edinburgh Zoo, helping with gardening and animal enrichment while learning more about conservation work at the zoo.
Edinburgh Zoo provided an incredible opportunity for 20 CSSC members to volunteer in one of the world’s leading zoos. Volunteers learned new gardening skills, made new friends and gained insight into the incredible work the zoo does around conservation.
With over 2,500 species of animals across 82 acres of sloping parkland, Edinburgh Zoo offers a stunning setting for CSSC members to take part in volunteering activities. Home of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo is a gateway to the natural world for people to experience nature, learn about the challenges facing wildlife and discover how they are working to save animals from extinction.
On Wednesday 18th of March, 20 CSSC members gathered at the Zoo before the park opened to the public, greeted by the events team, they were given an induction to volunteering within the zoo. The group split in two, with half of them stripping lanterns from the Zoo’s Christmas lantern event, whilst the other half made the most of the sunny day to trim back hedges and plant shrubs near the lemur enclosures.
After an hour for lunch and a well-deserved break to explore the zoo, the group came together again. Members then had the chance to create monkey enrichment boxes using an array of materials and nourishment. Throwing these into the macaque enclosures and watching the large groups (known as troops) enjoy the volunteer’s hard work was a highlight of the day for the majority.
CSSC members then ended the day with a bespoke meet and greet with several animals. Zookeepers introduced us to some friendly Alpacas, beautiful snowy owls and a prickly armadillo. Overall, this was a great way to give back and make use of workplace volunteering days.
100 Years of CSSC
You can read more about Dame Maude Lawrence and her fellow female members’ incredible stories, together with a complete history of CSSC, in our coffee table book – 100 Years of CSSC, with a few remaining copies still available to purchase.