Sun, Jul 05, 2009
 Linda Hinds feeds a biscuit to Watoto, a 2-year-old giraffe. She spends two days a week patrolling the zoo grounds, assisting visitors, helping with the public giraffe feeding and preparing meals for birds. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Charles E. Gillman Company Accounting Specialist Mechanical Komatsu Equipment Co Resident Field Mechanic Trades/Construction RANCHO RESORT MAINTANANCE POSITION Construction West-Press Printing Sales and Marketing Everready Glass Sales Reps Administrative & Professional Jorgensen Brooks Group Counselor Administrative & Professional Tucson Urban League CEO/President AccentProfile: Linda Hinds (Tucson Zoological Society)
And you think the kids are having funSpecial to the Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.23.2007
If you're a foodie in search of the next feast or an animal lover who is all about conservation and education, Linda Hinds and other volunteers with the Tucson Zoological Society suggest that you take a walk on the wild side on Oct. 5 at Zoocson Feast for the Beasts.
The evening fundraiser, which will feature open-air food and live entertainment as guests stroll through the grounds of the Reid Park Zoo, has become an annual ritual for Hinds, who has been a zoo volunteer for more than seven years.
"We are extremely fortunate to have a zoo like this in Tucson," Hinds said. "People from out of town are thrilled by the size of our zoo and the fact that we are so close to the animals. . . . We really get to see them and know what they look like, and with the giraffes, we get to touch them. It's a beautiful zoo, and the new education center will be magnificent when it's finished, and then the African expansion will come afterward. It's an exciting time."
Contact with the animals always has been a big draw for Hinds. She spends two days a week patrolling the zoo grounds and helping with everything from guest information and the public giraffe feeding to preparation of "bird plates" — meals of apples, oranges, bananas and seeds for various birds.
The zoo kitchen turns out 400 meals daily for its animal residents. Hinds' help with meal preparation frees up zookeepers and assistants to take care of other animal needs. The self-professed animal lover, who boasts four dogs and four cats of her own, finds it fulfilling to assist the animals.
"I just love animals, partially because they give so willingly and ask very little in return," Hinds said. "They're not demanding. You feed them and love them and they are your loyal friends, and if you come home tired or upset, they brighten your day."
Hinds is particularly fond of the zoo's elephants and polar bears, and babies of all kinds capture her heart — including Adia, the baby zebra, and Pip, the year-old American king vulture currently in training for free flight. She also appreciates the ongoing education available to her as a volunteer.
"It's fun to watch this take place and to see the interaction of the keepers, who are fabulous," she said. "They're so knowledgeable, and we couldn't ask for a better group."
Last year, about 45,000 children enjoyed educational classes, programs and opportunities through the Zoo School, which is undergoing a complete $4 million reconstruction. The new 10,000-square-foot Conservation Learning Center is slated for completion at the end of November and will serve to further the Tucson Zoological Society's vision of conservation, education, sustainable building and animal enrichment.
"This is the wave of the future," said Diana Whitman, development director for the Tucson Zoological Society. "It affects people of all ages, and it's more important now than ever to be aware of sustainable building and conservation. . . . And people are becoming more and more aware that if we want to make the world a healthy place for our children, now is the time to do it."
Whitman said the opportunity for outreach continues to grow; the zoo hosted about 450,000 visitors last year. Additionally, with the celebration of the zoo's 40th anniversary, Whitman said the 100-plus Tucson Zoological Society volunteers are hoping that the Feast for the Beasts will raise at least $70,000 to benefit zoo exhibits and programs.
● Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch@comcast.net.
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