Elephant seal docents wanted in San Simeon

– Hearst San Simeon State Park is recruiting new docents (volunteers) to help share the fascinating life history of the northern elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas rookery in San Simeon, California. California State Parks, in collaboration with Friends of the Elephant Seal, will be offering a Fall 2024 training class to prepare new docents to meet the public as informal educators and wildlife interpreters. The application deadline is Sept. 2. Visit https://bttr.im/mfapo to apply.

Piedras Blancas is the largest mainland rookery for these amazing animals. Elephant seals visit the beach twice annually: once to give birth and breed, and again to molt and grow a new coat. The rest of the year they migrate long distances, diving deep to avoid predators and find food.

Docents are crucial to enhancing the visitor’s experience at one of the most highly visited sites in Hearst San Simeon State Park. The best reward is the opportunity to meet curious visitors from around the world, provide meaningful and memorable interpretations, and help people gain an appreciation of this unique species and its critical ocean habitat.

Professional-quality training, reference materials, and mentoring are provided, allowing docents to get started with confidence. The four-week training program includes independent study assignments and virtual online training sessions that begin in October. Three in-person, outdoor mentoring sessions will be scheduled individually between Oct. 7 and Oct. 25. The final training session is scheduled for Oct. 26 in Morro Bay.

Docents must be able to volunteer three or four, three-hour shifts a month, either in the morning or afternoon. If you would like to welcome visitors to their state parks and unlock the wonders of the amazing wildlife and habitat along the Central California Coast, please apply to become a docent by the September 2 deadline. An online application is available at https://bttr.im/mfapo. For more details about training dates, visit https://elephantseal.org/become-a-docent. For questions Call State Park Interpreter Monica Rutherford at (805) 460-8762. Volunteers must be 18 or older and available to volunteer in San Simeon, California.