We’re celebrating our passionate and knowledgeable conservation learning team for International Zoo Educators Day!

You’ve likely seen our team out and about at the Zoo with a bunch of excited students and teachers in tow. They’re enthusiastic about educating our young people to care for the natural world and help them connect with it. It’s so important that the next generation can appreciate, live in harmony with, and protect wildlife and the environment into the future.

We have a team of six facilitators that are led by duty operations manager James, with guidance and support from conservation learning and community manager Colleen. Together, they teach a wide variety of engaging sessions on topics such as sustainability, animal care, classification, adaptation and more!

These sessions are available at the Zoo, as well as online learning at school or at home through our Conservation Learning Online platform! Over the past year our team has welcomed 47,600+ ākonga / students to engage in these sessions at the Zoo and nurture a lifelong connection with nature.

Sarah (Dr Sarah Thomas)

Growing up in Northwest England with Morecambe Bay on her doorstep gave Sarah an early connection and love for nature, shaping her life and career in zoos that is both local and global.

From beachcombing and hiking to studying zoology at Glasgow University, that curiosity about the natural world has never left.

Along the way, Sarah became fascinated not just by animals and the environment, but also us — how we learn, behave, and connect with nature. That passion led to her gaining a PhD exploring the social dimensions of zoos and conservation.

“To me, conservation is not just about species, it’s also about people! Our actions, our choices, our stories. As humans, we’re part of not separate from te taiao, which is threaded through our lives, shaping who we are and how we live.”

Sarah’s career has taken her from education assistant at Blackpool Zoo to leading the Zoological Society of London’s conservation learning department.

She moved to Aotearoa in 2019 to become part of our leadership team and heads up our Conservation Advocacy & Engagement Department that includes our amazing Conservation Learning kaimahi.

And yes, there was a short but unforgettable chapter managing a rock nightclub – because music, like nature, is good for the soul!

Looking to the future, Sarah says “As we journey to position Auckland Zoo as te pā hono — a place of connection — we’re evolving our purpose to be an inclusive, accessible gateway that reconnects people with nature, enhances community wellbeing, fosters empathy, builds optimism, and drives social change for people and nature. I’m delighted to celebrate IZE Day with our incredible educators who make this vision real every day.”

Today on International Zoo Educators Day, we’re delighted to share that Dr Sarah has also recently been appointed president of the International Zoo Educators Association (IZE) – a global non-profit with 600 members across 50 countries.

Colleen

“I have the privilege of supporting our zoo educators, championing them, helping them develop professionally and ensuring they have the resources they need!”

We’re lucky to have Colleen as our conservation learning and community engagement manager, who joined the Zoo earlier this year. She has been involved in conservation education since she was a teenager, starting out as a volunteer in a teen program at a US zoo at just 16.

She believes strongly in the power of education, and has gained degrees in Wildlife Conservation and Management at the University of Arizona and Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University. Colleen has years of experience as an outdoor educator and environmental educator in various non-profit organisations, with previous education and management roles at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Houston Zoo.

“I get so much fulfilment from inspiring others to take action to protect wildlife and wild places. I especially love sparking curiosity, a sense of awe and wonder, and helping people build empathy for wildlife. I am also very passionate about working with youth to cultivate our next generation of conservation leaders,” explains Colleen. 

James

Would you travel across the alps with a trailer in tow? That’s what our conservation learning manager James did with his whānau!

James began his career in New Zealand delivering outdoor education sessions all over the upper North Island. Relocating to the UK, he worked in operations roles and as a coach and mentor for disabled youth. A few years ago, his passion for sustainability saw him return home to take a role as a senior low carbon specialist in Auckland Council’s education and community climate action team.

This role inspired James to plan his family trip to Europe based around low carbon travel, and put his learnings to the test! “My wife, our three-year-old son and I cycled from England to Italy, journeying through small towns and villages that we would otherwise never visit. This was such a cool way to connect with a place, and it's changed how I think about travel. It was a great bonding experience and an epic challenge. Getting over the alps with a trailer in tow was probably one of my biggest accomplishments!” explains James.

We’re lucky to have James join our team in June, where his passion for sustainability is very much at home with the Zoo’s ethos! “Sustainability is a driving factor for how I live my life. When I think of the future, I don’t dream about flying cars and AI. I think of organised cities where children can ride their bike to school and everyone is in walking distance of a local park. Being able to work in a field where I can communicate this vision is the dream for me.”

Nic and PJ

You might recognise these friendly and knowledgeable faces!

Especially if you’ve had an education session at the Zoo, been to our Tamariki Time sessions OR popped into a school holiday session at your local Auckland library!

PJ has been a conservation learning facilitator at the Zoo since 2020 and was previously an educator at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s, and Nic joined in 2021 making a transition from being a ectotherm keeper at the Zoo and is passionate about all species and wildlife!

Nic recently was promoted to assistant manager of our conservation learning team and says, “there are so many great reasons for being an educator, for me it’s engaging with people of all ages and building their connection with wildlife. I’ve had people tell me that I’ve changed the way they think about animals and conservation issues. It makes me feel like I’m making a positive difference to the world.”

Their advice? If you love nature, animals, plants you can share your connection and others may feel motivated to care more about the natural world too!

Teresa

Meet our newest conservation learning facilitator Teresa!

Teresa joined our whanau just over a month ago – so if you book an Awesome Aotearoa education session with us, you might just meet her soon.

She has a passion for marine conservation and education, with her previous role as a teaching fellow and marine interpreter with the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre. She is excited to be teaching about the diverse species we have at Auckland Zoo, and wanted to join our conservation learning team as she thought it would be the perfect role to both teach and learn in.

Teresa has designed and delivered programmes for learners of all ages, that focus on marine conservation, ecology and evolution. This mahi includes leading the Hauraki Gulf Monitoring Project and integrating tools like VR and underwater cameras to deepen student engagement!

"The best part of being an educator in a zoo is seeing moments of wonder as students observe animals, answering their questions and getting to share in their excitement. If students come away with a better understanding of their connectedness to the world around them, that's a win for me!”