Community Science

The Grit City Carnivore Project is a research partnership of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the University of Washington, Tacoma and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.

At this time, there are no open volunteer positions. You can still support this research by reporting sightings of carnivores like coyotes and raccoons using the Carnivore Spotter App.

Learn more at gritcitycarnivores.org.

APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

Help monitor local nest box sites on Ruston Way or at Titlow Beach Park for purple martins, a type of swallow listed as a species of greatest conservation need in Washinton State. Learn how important these beautiful birds are to our ecosystem and how you can help collect vital information that supports their conservation.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Responsibilities:

• Observe purple martins throughout the summer season. Observations occur either 2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset.
• Track the presence of birds, their behaviors, and when chick begin to hatch and fledge.
• Complete data forms, recording the presence of birds, breeding behaviors, and chick sightings.
• Send in completed data forms from observations (mail, email, or in-person).

Qualifications

• Minimum of 14 years of age or an active participant in the Zoo Guide Youth Volunteer Program
• Ability to take verbal and written direction.
• Gear: Binoculars are required to participate. A spotting scope is recommended but not required. We do have binoculars, spotting scopes and field guides to loan on a first come first served basis.

Training

• Zoo Meet & Greet: March 6
• Training & Orientation Date: March 23, 1 – 4 pm
• 2 hours of asynchronous online onboarding training.

Time Commitment

• Minimum of 2 observations per month from mid-April through September.
• Each observation takes 2 hours (either 2 hours after sunrise or the 2 hours before sunset).

Applications open through April 24, 2024

During scheduled public beach walks, naturalists will help participants connect to the awe-inspiring life found at the beach. Naturalists will aid participants in beach stewardship actions, animal identification, and community science action using the iNaturalist mobile app to record the presence of marine animals.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer service to participants
• Educate groups about marine animals, beach stewardship, and community science
• Provide marine animal information and facilitate the participants’ exploration of the beach
• Facilitate the recording of the presence and location of animals along Owen Beach using the iNaturalist mobile app

Qualifications

• Minimum of 16 years of age or an active participant in the Zoo Guide youth volunteer program
• Ability and willingness to interact with the public in a positive manner
• Ability to take verbal and written direction well
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Ability to engage adults and children in an outdoor setting, keeping them safe while meeting the program’s goals of beach stewardship and citizen science
• Ability to walk 1.5 miles on rocky terrain at Owen Beach

Training

• 2 hours of asynchronous online onboarding training
• 2 hours of asynchronous online beach walk training.
• Meet & Greet: April 30
• Zoo Orientation: May 7
• Explore the Shore in-person training dates – (one training required)
  • Fri, May 10, 10:30 am-2:00 pm
  • Thurs, June 20, 8:15 am-11:30 am
  • Sun, June 23, 9:30 am- 1:00 pm

Time Commitment

• Attending all beach walks is preferred. Attendance at a minimum of 2 beach walks is required.

Explore the Shore Volunteer Shifts:

• Mon, June 24, 11:30am-3:15 pm
• Sat, July 6, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
• Sun, July 21, 10:00 am-1:30 pm
• Mon, Aug 19, 9:30 am-1:15 pm

Applications open through April 24, 2024

Help uncover the mystery around larval Dungeness crabs in the Salish Sea. Join scientists from Tacoma Public School’s Science & Math Institute, the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group, and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to monitor marine plankton samples for the presence of Dungeness crabs. This information helps researchers understand trends in crab populations and informs better management practices.

Department: Conservation Engagement

Responsibilities

• Inventory plankton samples for the presence of larval Dungeness crabs and other marine species. Observations happen every Monday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, June through September.
• Complete data forms, recording the presence and estimated number of specific types of marine plankton.
• Follow safety requirements such as wearing a life jacket while working on floating docks.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 16 years of age or an active participant in the Zoo Guide Youth Volunteer Program.
• Ability to take verbal and written direction.
• Ability to see and distinguish small objects unaided or using a magnifying device.
• Ability to carry and move equipment weighing between 10 and 25 lbs.
• Walking on floating docks that can be unstable or move suddenly is part of this work but is not required to participate.

Training

• Zoo Meet & Greet: March 6 or April 30
• Training & Orientation: June 8 9:30 am to 1:30 pm (30-minute break at noon)
• 2 hours of asynchronous online onboarding training.

Time Commitment

• Minimum of 2 observations per month.
• Each observation takes roughly 2 hours depending on the sample size and starts at 10 am.
• Samples are collected and observations occur every Monday through the monitoring season.

The City Nature Challenge is a global nature observation event that happens each spring. People from around the world use the iNaturalist platform to compete and see who and which regions can document the most nature over a 4-day period.

Do you live in Snohomish, King or Pierce County? Then join us in getting outside this April and support the Seattle-Tacoma Metro Area’s City Nature Challenge!