My favorite zoo memories come from being a volunteer and providing guests with a close-up encounter of our ambassador animals. The usual format was a chat/talk giving guests little known or “gee-whiz” facts about the animal and explaining how we can all help their wild counterparts by conserving natural environments. Seeing guests realize how important it is to preserve animals, nature, and our planet always makes my day. The photos show some of the favorite animals I’ve had the privilege of showing our guests.