Keeper for the day
Our zoo keeper experience is designed to give you a real taste of what it’s like to work with our animals every day. A full-day experience, you’ll visit almost every part of the park. You’ll see the lions released in the morning, hand-feed the giraffes and help our rhinos scratch their itches in their daily check-up. And that’s just for starters…
- 5 hour experience from 9am to 3.30pm
- Lunch and refreshments included
- Individual experience for ages 16+
- Maximum of four people per day
- Full guided tour of all areas of the park
A unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at some of your favourite animals and really get your hands dirty. And when we say dirty, we mean it! We’ll provide you with overalls, but please make sure you bring some sturdy boots or wellies that you don’t mind getting muddy.
We only offer one experience a day for up to four people. This is to ensure our animals stay nice and relaxed and aren’t overwhelmed by too many different faces. A lot of our animals are very bonded to their keepers, so it’s important we keep things consistent for them.
Zookeeper for a day: what to expect
You’ll be hands on from the very start of your day, so grab those overalls and get stuck in! Here’s a sample of what you might be doing:
9:00am:
Breakfast is served for our red-ruffled lemur conspiracy. You’ll be helping the keepers place food around the enclosure to encourage the lemurs to forage.
9:30am:
A drive through the African section of the reserve, where your guide will point out all the different species and answer your questions – look out for the rhinos and the Ankole cattle with their enormous horns, You’ll also spot two different species of antelope.
9:45am:
Release the lions! Yes, that’s right, you’ll get to be there as we let the lions out in the morning. And as we usually lay out food or enrichment for them, they really come running!
10:00am:
Your very own VIP tour round the Asian section of the drive-thru reserves and macaque enclosure. Our team will help you spot every animal and give you lots of fun facts about each species. Watch out for those cheeky macaques though, they love to jump on the vehicles.
10.15am:
Tea Break (well earned).
10:30am:
Hand feed the giraffes in the giraffe house. You’ll get to interact with them both on the viewing platform and on the ground, and our team will tell you all about their diet and care.
11am:
Meet our female rhinos Dot, Tswane and little Morag. Friendly and tactile with their keepers, these three ladies will keep you busy scratching their itches. A truly unforgettable close-up experience, and a highlight for many.
11.30am:
Say hello to our lovely lemurs. You’ll be the most popular person in Lemur Land as you help prepare enrichment for them and scatter food.
12pm:
Lunch. You deserve it! You can use your lunch voucher at any of our food outlets – choose from our main restaurant, taco stand or barbecue shack.
1.15pm:
Meet our chimp troop, and help us serve them lunch on their island habitat via catapult! How’s your aim?
1.45pm:
Meet-and-greet with the stars of our Bird-of-prey display. Take a guided tour of our Bird of Prey Centre, watch our bird-of-prey display and fly our vulture Kevin.
2.45pm:
Feed the penguins! Meet our charming penguins and become very popular as you feed them some of their favourite fishy treats.
3pm:
Enjoy our fantastic sea lion display and learn more about these agile swimmers and the fragile marine habitats they rely on. (There will be fish. Lots of fish!)
3.15pm:
And… relax. You’re done (collapsing with a big smile on your face optional).
Please note: this itinerary is just an example and may change.
Getting hands-on with our animals: some top tips
Our keepers are professionals and do this job every day, but it’s easy to forget how mind-blowing their day-to-day can be. You’re sure to have an amazing time, but it can also be a bit overwhelming if you’re experiencing these things for the first time. Here’s our top tips on how to make friends with our animals and stay safe:
- Although they live here at the park with us, don’t forget most of these animals are wild! That means, always follow your keeper’s instructions, move slowly and calmly and try not to make any loud noises.
- Be respectful to all our animals. You are their guests. Please don’t try to touch or feed the animals without a keeper’s permission and remember to be gentle.
- We’ll give you overalls, but make sure you’ve got some robust boots or wellies. Looking after large animals in flip-flops is never a good idea!
- If you feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable at any time, tell one of our team and they’ll help you.
- We’re sorry, but this experience isn’t suitable for pregnant women or women who have given birth within the last six months.
- Photos are allowed at certain times, but we’ll let you know when. Please don’t take any photos without asking first as it can sometimes upset the animals.
- Most of all, remember to enjoy this incredible up-close experience with some of the world’s rarest species.