The Biodiversity Education and Public Engagement (BEPE) -National Zoological Garden(NZG) Directorate promotes biodiversity education and provides support to learners and educators through Science Engagement. The Directorate has a Youth Advancement in Science programme. The objective of this programme is to encourage and support youth advancement, through science engagement and conservation of biodiversity. BEPE is offering a three (3) day Bio-Science holiday course to the youth from various schools, and institutions who become ZooClub members after completion of this course. A variety of science awareness and education programmes are conducted with the ZooClub members. The ZooClub programme is aligned with the SANBI mission and vision.
Aims
The ZooClub aims to involve, empower, and encourage the youth to follow a career in the natural sciences by raising their awareness regarding the importance and benefits thereof. As development should be environmentally sustainable, the ZooClub also informs members about the importance of biodiversity and the conservation thereof, as well as environmental issues.
Mission
The ZooClub’s mission is:
“To encourage and support youth development and advancement, through the conservation of biodiversity.”

Vision
The ZooClub has the vision:
- To encourage the youth to appreciate and value our natural biodiversity.
- To encourage the youth to understand the need for biodiversity and its conservation.
- To encourage the youth to recognize that individuals indeed can and must make a difference.
- To inspire the youth by providing them with exciting hands-on science activities.
- To improve science performance and skills.
- To give the youth a supportive environment that encourages their intellectual development and critical- thinking skills; and
- To encourage the youth to choose the life sciences as a career path.
Membership
Learners in Grades 8 to 12 may join the Zoo Club after completion of the Bio-Science holiday course. This three-day course is facilitated during the school holidays, teaching children about animals, the environment, and conservation, while allowing them to have hands-on experience with our zoo animals.
Registration
Once a high school learner has completed the Bio-Science holiday course, he/she may register for the ZooClub by completing a Registration Form and forwarding it to the NZG Biodiversity Education & Public Engagement administrative officer, together with the relevant membership fee. Membership applies from 1 January to 31 December, while renewal of membership is payable annually before 31 January.
New registrations should take place immediately after completion of the Bio-Science holiday course. Membership fees are applied as follows:
- Course completed in January or the April holidays: full membership fee for the whole year.
- Course completed during the June/ July holidays: reduced membership fee for the rest of the year by 25%.
- Course completed during the September/October and December holidays: full membership fee for the following year.

Structure
The Coordinator of the ZooClub is a full-time employee within the NZG’s Biodiversity Education & Public Engagement Directorate. The function of this employee is to coordinate the ZooClub, thereby ensuring that programmes and activities of high quality are offered that address the needs of the youth, especially concerning career development and environmental awareness. He or she must ensure that extensive networking with other interest groups is pursued and maintained. Environmental Education Officer Interns are also responsible for the coordination of the ZooClub activities.
Partnership
Our partnership and collaboration are driven by our quest to strengthen, support, and provide our members with quality engagement as advocated in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in particular Goal number 4 which seeks to ensure the provision of quality education across the board. Our partnership is anchored on two pillars:
- Our first pillar is based on shared vision, knowledge, and transfer of skills.
- The second pillar is to expose members to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Innovation (STEMI).
Zoo Club Activities and Projects
- Most ZooClub activities and projects take place on Saturdays, usually starting at 8h00. All ZooClub members must report to the person in charge.
- ZooClub members also visit the NZG during school holidays to participate in specified activities.
- The activities of ZooClub members are captured in an annual programme.
- This programme includes regular activities at the NZG (such as assisting conservation staff in the husbandry of selected animals), and once-off activities at the NZG (such as an interaction with an invited expert in the science-related field.)
- In addition to these activities, Zoo Club members are also encouraged to participate in longer-term projects, which are not only fun but also teach scientific principles and methodology. In this way, Zoo Club members are allowed to gain insight into biodiversity and are exposed to career opportunities in the life science sector.
- Some of these activities take place at the Zoo, while others may be conducted at other science institutions within traveling distance.
- Most activities are free of charge for Zoo Club members. It may, however, be necessary to charge a fee for certain activities, mainly to cover travel, accommodation, and catering expenses.

The activities of Zoo Club members are captured in a quarterly programme which includes but is not limited to the following:
- Activities:
- Practical animal husbandry
- Team building
- Edutainment games
- Mini workshops
- Hiking
- Robotics and coding
- NZG Research Engagement
- Projects:
- Bushveld Mosaic
- MiniSASS
- Excursions to natural science sectors:
- Museums
- Nature reserves/Zoos/Botanical Gardens
- Science centres
- University of Pretoria
- Farms
Communications / Parents Meetings
A ZooClub WhatsApp is also maintained through which members will be notified about ZooClub activities and projects. The Facebook, Website, and SANBI gazette are platforms used to amplify ZooClub activities and projects. Parents are invited to meet once a year for programme updates and inputs.

Rules and Code of Conduct
The purpose of these rules is not to unnecessarily control ZooClub members but rather to ensure coordinated and safe conditions.
- Members of the ZooClub may enter the Zoo via the service entrance free of charge when involved in a ZooClub activity, i.e., to assist in the zoo or participate in an activity or project as specified in the annual programme. This means that if a ZooClub member wishes to enter the Zoo for any other purpose, he/she will be regarded as an ordinary visitor who needs to enter via the main visitors’ entrance and must pay an entrance fee.
- Free entry is restricted to registered members of the ZooClub, i.e., a ZooClub member may not allow any friends or family to accompany him/her without paying the entrance fee.
- All ZooClub members must enter via the service entrance. No ZooClub member may enter via the main visitors’ entrance without paying the normal entrance fee.
- Every ZooClub member must sign the attendance register when he/she enters the Zoo and again when leaving the Zoo.
- Supervision and safety of the ZooClub members is guaranteed in the NZG premises.
- Behaviour towards any NZG staff must always be respectful and faultless.
- Complaints or problems that Zoo Club members might experience with other Zoo Club members or NZG staff must be reported to the coordinator or, in more serious cases, to the Director of the NZG Biodiversity Education and Public Engagement. As representatives of the NZG, the behaviour of Zoo Club members should always be faultless.
- Smoking, the use of drugs, and the drinking of alcohol are prohibited when a Zoo Club member is on the NZG’s premises, when involved in any Zoo Club activity, or when wearing the Zoo Club T- shirt.
- No romantic behaviour is allowed when a Zoo Club member is on the NZG’s premises, when involved in any Zoo Club activity, or when wearing the Zoo Club T-shirt.
- Any Zoo Club member who visits the NZG as an ordinary visitor is subject to the general rules that apply to our visiting public.
- No Zoo Club member will be allowed to participate in any Zoo Club activity or project without wearing his/her official T-Shirt.
Indemnity
Parents or guardians of Zoo Club members must sign an indemnity form when registering their child for membership. Additional indemnity forms may be required for activities outside the NZG premises.
- If a ZooClub member should be injured, no matter how slightly, this must be reported immediately to the staff member under whose supervision the ZooClub member works.
The ZooClub member must notify the coordinator about any medical condition such as an allergy or chronic illness.




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