How does Zoo Atlanta’s Education Department teach conservation?

No two Zoo visits start the same way. Once through the front gate, you might make a beeline for the flamingos—drawn in by their lively chatter and brilliant pink feathers. Or maybe it’s been a long car ride, and the restrooms are your top priority. Perhaps you’re the planner, pausing to study the map and design the perfect route.

However it begins, something usually happens along the way, often when you least expect it.

An animal does something surprising. A sound, movement, or pattern catches your eye. A question pops into your head. You slow down, look a little closer, and suddenly, your visit has shifted from seeing animals to wondering about them.

This is where Zoo Atlanta’s Education Department comes in. The Education Department connects people to wildlife and conservation by turning moments of curiosity into meaningful learning experiences through hands‑on programs, engaging interpretation, and personal connections with Zoo Educators, Volunteers, and animals. Each experience is designed to help guests not only learn about wildlife but also understand how their everyday choices can help protect animals and the natural world. The Education Department has four branches that each contribute to the mission in their own way.

School & Family Programs: Learning concepts through real-world experiences

The School & Family Programs Team connects students, educators, and families to wildlife and conservation through inquiry‑based learning at the Zoo and beyond. Programs for school groups align with the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science, while programs for families emphasize shared exploration and discovery.

Across these programs, experiential storytelling is a powerful tool. Participants are invited to step into the perspective of animals to better understand their needs and challenges. Homeschool students might role‑play building a flamingo nest. Kindergarten learners explore how individual animals fit into larger ecosystems. In one recent activity, teachers “migrated” across a hopscotch board, losing wetland spaces along the way to illustrate Georgia’s loss of salt marshes.

Importantly, the story doesn’t end with loss. As conservation actions are introduced, squares are added back, demonstrating how people can help restore habitats and protect wildlife today. By pairing real challenges with achievable solutions, these programs help learners see themselves as active participants in the conservation story.

Interpretive Programs: Inviting guests to look closer

The Interpretive Programs Team focuses on everyday moments of discovery throughout the Zoo. Sometimes those moments happen during interactions with Interpretive Guides during conversations at animal habitats, or they begin with a question on a sign, an interactive activity, or an animal training demonstration that encourages guests to pause, observe, and reflect.

Programs such as the Elephant Care Demonstration connect daily animal care at the Zoo to field conservation efforts, including Zoo Atlanta’s partnership with Conservation South Luangwa, one of our three Signature Conservation Partners. Animal Tales uses storytelling through children’s books about nature and animals to inspire simple, practical conservation choices—such as being mindful of water use at home. During Giraffe Feeding and Wild Encounters, with Interpretive Guides and Animal Care Team members facilitating, guests get to interact with an individual animal up-close, making a personal connection and unforgettable memories, and learning what makes each individual animal so special.

One of the most hands‑on interpretive tools is the Zoo’s Conservation Carts. Through games, objects, and animal stories, guests explore the challenges wildlife face and what they can do right now to help. Sometimes this includes small takeaways to make conservation actions easier and more accessible, like native seed packets to take home and plant, or canvas tote bags to decorate and then use when shopping. These experiences are designed to empower rather than overwhelm, reinforcing the idea that small actions, taken together, can make a meaningful impact.

Volunteer Programs: Sharing their passion

Zoo Atlanta’s Volunteers play a vital role in extending the reach of conservation education. Supported by the Volunteer Programs Team, Volunteers assist with programs, guest interactions throughout the Zoo, events, animal care, and more. Often serving as welcoming entry points for conversation, Volunteers help make learning approachable and accessible. A brief exchange can turn into connection and understanding.

These dedicated team members give their time and share their passion for wildlife, inspiring guests to act in their own lives in ways that benefit wildlife.

Education Operations: Making it all possible

While much of Education’s work is visible to guests, Education Operations provides the foundation that makes it all possible. From program coordination and registration to communication and logistical support, this team ensures that Zoo Educators, Interpretive Guides, and Volunteers can focus on what they do best: connecting people to wildlife and conservation through engaging experiences.

One Department, One Goal

Together, the four branches of Zoo Atlanta’s Education Department create pathways to deeper understanding. The programs we facilitate, messages we develop, conversations we engage in, and experiences we offer help to transform moments of curiosity into lasting care for animals and the natural world.

Melissa K., Lindsey M., and Jess W.
Zoo Atlanta Education Department