A Day in the Life: Insights from the Premier Zoo in Wichita, KS

Welcome to Tanganyika Wildlife Park, the most interactive zoo in Wichita, Kansas! Step into a world where conservation, education, and unforgettable experiences come together to create an oasis for both animals and visitors alike. In this blog, we invite you to embark on a fascinating journey, offering a rare glimpse into the inner workings of Tanganyika Wildlife Park and the tireless efforts of its dedicated team.

From dawn until dusk, Tanganyika Wildlife Park buzzes with activity as its team of passionate professionals diligently tend to the needs of the diverse animal inhabitants. 

We will delve into the captivating routines, the behind-the-scenes efforts, and the extraordinary interactions that transpire within these walls. Our guides, experts immersed in the world of Tanganyika Wildlife Park, will share firsthand insights, anecdotes, and perspectives that will truly illuminate the inner workings of this exceptional zoo.

Join us as we unravel the tapestry of life at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, uncovering the secrets and stories that animate this extraordinary institution. Through this immersive journey, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the tireless dedication and immense impact Tanganyika has on the world of animal conservation, leaving you inspired to make a difference in your own corner of the world.

So, fasten your seatbelts, open your hearts to the wonders of nature, and get ready to embark on a unique adventure through the eyes of a Tanganyika zoo expert. Prepare to be captivated by the stories that unfold in “A Day in the Life: Insights from the Premier Zoo in Wichita, KS.”

How this Goddard, KS zoo is making a difference

“As a zookeeper at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, a Goddard, KS zoo, I was inspired to get into this career when I met an animal at our local library with my mom. I didn’t realize taking care of animals could be a full-time job and I was hooked.” 

Click here to watch a video on how one of our fascinating keepers Kiana, embarked on a journey to make a difference. 

The beginning of the day for a zookeeper at this zoo in Wichita Ks will typically start by doing wellness checks on all the animals. If everyone looks healthy and is where they are supposed to be, we start preparing their exhibits by: 

• making their breakfast
• cleaning the exhibit
• cleaning as well as filling their pools if they have them
• checking for trash in their enclosure as well as the state of their fences. 

After all those tasks are performed, the animals are ready to be released in their outdoor exhibits for the day, and we clean their indoor holding areas. 

At the Goodard, KS Zoo, we take pride in making sure that the animals are getting mental stimulation as much as physical stimulation. We do training with them which includes exercises that help with medical procedures such as ultrasound training, blood draw, and hoof trim. Not only do we do training regarding medical, but we also do mental stimulation training such as “Target”, “Back up”, “Station”, and “Open/Close their mouth”. 

Around the park you will find ambassadors animals like Ms. Betty Boop the warthog walking around, you can also catch her doing different events, which those activities keep her thinking hard and behaviors sharp. The end of the day of a zookeeper at the Goddard, KS zoo typically involves them feeding the animals by making their dinner and setting it out for them and bringing them inside their holding areas. 

Tanganyika makes a difference by preserving endangered species such as giraffes, our park has had more than 60 giraffe births from our successful breeding program. The Goodard, KS zoo, is home to many different species including cheetahs, clouded leopards, hippos, Indian rhinos, camels, and more. 

If you want to learn more about what it takes to be a zookeeper at this zoo in Wichita KS read our blog. 

Tips from  Kansas zoo animal experts

When you come to the zoo in Wichita Kansas, do you have those unanswered questions that you wish you could ask an animal expert but can’t? 

Here are some tips from our experts: 

Kiana Lucero – Is on the Animal Experience Specialist team and facilitates a lot of the meet-and-greets and behind-the-scenes tours. Prior to her career at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, she had been working with training animals for movies and TV shows, worked at the Universal Studios animal show, took care of an actor’s private animal collection, worked for an outreach facility taking animals to school and educating children about wildlife. 

She also started a dog training company and worked at a sustainability institute. She found out about this zoo in Wichita KS and was interested in how interactive of a wildlife park we are. The opportunity of sharing her knowledge about animals and their conservation in the wild with the guests and working with different species made it the right place for her to be working.

Kiana’s tips: 

• Take the chance to do an animal meet and greet, it is an experience that you won’t regret. You can learn all about the animals and their keepers.
• If you can book the ultimate weekend, it is a great experience to do all of the behind-the-scenes options that are offered at Tanganyika Wildlife Park. 
• If you can do only one option, do the otter meet and greet. (it is Kiana’s Favorite, maybe because she raised the otters) 

Sierra Smith – Is a hoofstock keeper which means she takes care of Indian rhinos, pygmy hippos, okapi, warthog, and the rest of the hoofstock animals. She learned about Tanganyika Wildlife Park when she was in high school, she used to come to this Goddard KS Zoo to do the okapi meet and greet three to four times a week. 

After she graduated, Sierra did the zookeeper internship. During this 6 month program, she learned how to care for the animals at the park, worked at the feeding stations, and showed off her strong work ethic and commitment to the animals. Once she completed it, she got hired by Tanganyika Wildlife Park. 

Sierra’s tips:

• If you plan to come to Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Goddard KS zoo try to come when the weather is best because while rhinos love to play in the rain, kangaroos are not big fans of laying on wet grounds. 
• If you plan to feed the rhino at this zoo in Wichita, KS plan to get there early because Monica the rhino tends to walk away once she has had enough food so she can play in her pool.

Make sure to watch this video of our rhinos having fun!

Tori Beeson – Growing up near Tanganyika Wildlife Park, she visited as a kid. In the past year, she got a job as an animal encounter attendant, she then fell in love with the work environment that Tanganyika Wildlife Park offered. She spent a lot of time with the kangaroos, making them easily her favorite animals at the park. 

This summer, she came back to pursue her journey with Tanganyika Wildlife Park as a Marketing Intern which fits perfectly as she is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Marketing and Management. Tori enjoys this internship a lot as it is more involved than other ones that she has previously participated in. 

Tori’s tips: 

• This Goddard KS zoo has very interesting animals that make the Tanganyika Wildlife Park special and super interactive. Scooter the cockatoo will talk to guests especially if you greet him. Scarlet the macaw will wave. Domingo, a blue macaw, has very good taste in music and will start dancing, that is if you know good songs! 
• If you are looking to save money during your vacation, look no further. Tanganyika Wildlife Park is 5$ cheaper if bought online rather than paying 5$ more when purchasing the ticket at the gate. Get your tickets today.
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park, a Kansas zoo recommends that you take a look at the exhibits and meet-and-greet schedules, which are posted every day.

Laurie Spence – Started her journey at Tanganyika by being referred by someone who handled the Entrepreneurial Operating Systems for Business for Tanganyika Wildlife Park. She had worked with that person on previous projects and was told about the Marketing Project Manager role, where she had a history as she did a lot of work and volunteering in marketing, event promotion, fundraising, etc. 

Laurie’s tips: 

• We are in the middle of summer, come early so you can experience the animals coming out into their exhibits first thing in the morning. 
• Do you have loose change that you want to use? Well, think no further this zoo in Wichita KS has feeding machines all throughout the park that let you put in 25 cents and then you can feed the animals.  
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park has a splash park that has changing rooms and cabanalows for the whole family. Parents can enjoy a refreshing drink at the thirsty sloth which is located right next to the splash park while their kids are playing. 
• Take advantage of the monthly exclusives! It is a great way to connect and interact with animals
• Ask questions to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park staff, they love answering questions that anyone may have about their animal friends. 

Andi Alexander – Used to rescue animals when she was a little girl and used to live 15 min away from Matt Fouts who is the current director of Tanganyika Wildlife Park. One day, she found an injured hawk that had two broken wings as well as a missing leg, and she brought it to Tanganyika Wildlife Park because she knew that it was a sanctuary, because it was not a park at the time. 

After that injured hawk crossed her path, she started looking from the animals’ perspective of what is good for them and what isn’t. Last year she was doing marketing consulting on the side and still having her passion for the animals, she decided to email Tanganyika Wildlife Park about their marketing internship position. Andi got accepted and had a memorable journey with the animals. 

About halfway into the internship, her boss back then told her about an opportunity that she wanted to take and asked Andi if she wanted to step into the role of content marketing manager, where she is able to overlook the social media platforms. She takes care of Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, and helps with Tik Tok if needed. Andi has also the pleasure of doing all the website edits and art direction for graphic design, films, photography, and the passion of wanting to help others by leading them down the right path. 

Andi’s tips: 

• Tanganyika wildlife park offers ultimate weekend packages that are absolutely perfect for a family that wants to be fully immersed in the world of wildlife. The ultimate weekend lets you have different activities such as going behind the scenes with lions and armored leopards, swimming with penguins, etc. You get a free day when you can do all the regular park activities on top of your extras, but make sure you look at the activities offered for that ultimate weekend as they tend to change. 
• Make sure you bring a lot of water, sunscreen and plan times to take breaks as well as time to take it all in. 
• If you are a local, you should check out our gold pass, it is the best pass at Tanganyika Wildlife Park. The gold pass lets you bring a friend every single time, you can get plenty of free things. You can come around the park all year long, and when the splash park opens you can come early and during the winter seasons. You get information about things going on around the park to let guests know when the animals are out and when the park is open during off-seasons. The gold pass goes on sale in March, so don’t wait to get yours!
• The best days to visit the park are going to be Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays because of the lower crowd levels. 
• When the weather is hot, bring your bathing suit and come enjoy the splash park no matter the age you are. Parents can also enjoy a drink at the Thirsty Sloth located next to it. 
• Bring a ton of snacks with you! 
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park is located in Kansas so it does get hot out. Make sure you bring sunscreen, mini fans, swimsuits, water, and anything to help you stay cool. 
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions, our animal keepers and staff love talking about the animals. Please bring lots of questions with you!

For more tips and a guide to plan your day, check out our blog here. 

Come visit the best zoo in Wichita, KS today

If you are planning on visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park, there are a few things you might want to see such as meet and greets with otters, owl monkeys, penguins, small cats, and red ruffed lemur. 

Among those experiences, you can have the opportunity to tour animals from the savannah and the rainforest like giraffes, lions, rhinos, okapi, sloths, and more. If you are looking for the perfect location for a getaway for a family wanting to see exotic animals for cheaper than traveling around the world then we are the place for you, located in Wichita KS. Tanganyika Wildlife Park not only lets you stay for the weekend, but you can also host events such as birthdays, corporate events, and so on. 

This zoo in Wichita KS, has a lot of events happening all the time, so why go only once during the year? One of the best parts about this zoo in Wichita KS is that it has season passes available for $99.99 which will include unlimited visits to Tanganyika Wildlife Park and Tanganyika Splash Park. 

The season pass lets you shop with discounts, save on food, and get special events discounts such as Twilight Tour, Pumpkins at the Park, and other events. The best part about having a seasonal pass is that you can have birthday parties and attend summer and day camps at a discount, and all your friends have $5 off on their guest admissions. Come make memories with family and friends at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, the best zoo in Wichita KS. 

For more on planning a visit to Tanganyika Wildlife Park, read our blog and have a day full of adventures today! 

About the Author: Angie is a business administration, marketing, and management student from France. Her hobbies are going to the beach, theme parks, traveling, and hanging out with family and friends. She enjoys being an intern for Tanganyika Wildlife Park and learning all about marketing.