Zookeeper Talks and Animal Demonstrations at Tanganyika

Are you looking for an animal adventure beyond a typical zoo visit? At Tanganyika Wildlife Park, visitors can get up close and personal with exotic animals in their natural habitats through animal demonstrations and zookeeper talks. This isn’t your typical entertainment show. Instead, it’s an opportunity to learn about animal care and conservation efforts, while also experiencing the thrill of being close to these incredible animals.

In our animal demonstrations, visitors can witness various animals’ unique behaviors and characteristics, from lemurs to tortoises and even big cats like tigers. Each demonstration is led by passionate and knowledgeable zookeepers dedicated to providing an unforgettable educational experience. You’ll learn about animal diets, habitats, and conservation efforts, and even get to touch and feed some animals.

Meet a Keeper and Learn the Top Three Secrets of Zookeeping

The real behind-the-scenes magic happens during our “animal demos.” Here, visitors meet a keeper and engage in a one-on-one conversation. You can learn about the ins and outs of caring for exotic animals, find out more about their personalities, and learn what you can do to help save them in the wild. 

When people meet a keeper, they see the bond these keepers have with their animals and witness the connections between them. With opportunities to ask questions, hear fun anecdotes, and observe animal training and enrichment activities, visitors understand what it takes to care for these incredible animals.

Many people are surprised when they meet a keeper. You might think it’s a position that doesn’t require a lot of special skills or even knowledge, but by attending these animal demonstrations, you learn a little more about the secret lives of zookeepers. 

1) It’s a highly competitive field: YES! People line up for the opportunity to clean up after animals. 

2) Most keepers have degrees: Many have 4-year college degrees in biology, zoology, or psychology. 

3) Zookeeping is a passion field: Most keepers aren’t paid much, but they love what they do. Tanganyika keepers not only love the animals, but they love sharing them with you!

Our keepers are the things people rave about. They love learning how our team cares for the animals, are blown away when a trainer can identify each lemur by name, and get some of their best dinner-time wow facts from our team. 

Today I was on the Origins tour with Sydney, and let me tell you what. That woman knows her stuff and is awesome at what she does! I was the only one on the tour, so I was able to get a more personal experience. This tour felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I highly recommend it! – Stephanie Lemon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The animals seemed happy and well cared for. Park was clean, and the staff was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Saw a baby springbok deer born right before our eyes! – Jorey Reeves (J.R.) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We got our first season pass this year, and my son and I had never been! We absolutely loved it!!! The kids got to feed all kinds of animals!! We ended up meeting a zoo keeper in training, Chase, told him we’d never been before, and he took us on our own little private tour!!! He was SO knowledgeable about ALL the animals, gave us good insight, and was so sweet to me and my kids!! They loved learning new interesting facts about the animals! My kids also LOVE the playground there and can’t wait to try out the splash pad! By far the best zoo experience we’ve had!! – Annie McCourt ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read more about our zookeepers on the blog. 

The Tanganyika Schedule and Costs

Need to know which animal to choose? The Tanganyika schedule and costs allow you to plan your visit according to your preferences. So whether you want to see the Eurasian eagle owl, have an up-close encounter with a sloth, or see the majestic big cats in action, there are plenty of opportunities to experience something new.

When you arrive at the park, you can ask for a map and the Tanganyika schedule. The map will include all the animal feedings for the day, plus the animal demonstrations. This schedule will help you prioritize your day. There are three different levels of animal adventure available at Tanganyika Wildlife Park. 

1. Animal feeding – these are included in your admission, and you get anywhere between 5 and unlimited feedings depending on your admission. 
2. Animal demonstrations – these are FREE for all guests at Tanganyika. They happen at scheduled times throughout the day and are a great chance to meet keepers and learn more about your favorite animals. 
3. Animal Experiences – these are behind-the-scenes, exclusive experiences that are mostly unique to Tanganyika. They range anywhere from $10/person to $200/person and should be reserved in advance. 

Animal feeding and demonstrations can change daily due to the nature of animals. Tanganyika allows all our animals to participate in feedings, demonstrations, and experiences. Monica the rhino has been known to prefer her pool over the rhino feeding time, but the keepers and feeding station attendants will do their best to ensure your experience is the best. Here’s the 2023 schedule (subject to change). 

Daily Schedule at Tanganyika

Before starting your adventure, it’s important to check the daily Tanganyika schedule upon your arrival to make sure you don’t miss any of the amazing experiences the zoo has to offer. Planning your visit in advance and arriving early will give you ample time to see and do everything that Tanganyika has to offer. Let’s discuss how to plan your visit, from before you even arrive to when you get back home.

To make the most out of your visit to Tanganyika, it is best to arrive early in the morning. Animals are put outside on exhibit right at open, 10 am during spring and fall, and 9 am during the summer. By getting there early, you’ll increase your chances of seeing the animals at their most active. Tanganyika offers various feeding times and animal demonstrations to enjoy throughout the day that are not worth missing, so it’s important to plan accordingly.

10:45 am– 

There’s a Mandrill training demonstration that’s sure to impress. Dimitri’s teeth are so big he’ll leave you speechless. You’ll also have the chance to witness the incredible connection between animals and their keepers.

11 am (Spring and Fall)/ 10 am and 1:15 pm (Summer)-

You won’t want to miss out on the incredible opportunity to participate in the Rhino Feeding Station,which is included in your admission price. It’s an experience that will leave you breathless and in awe of these majestic creatures. 

Author’s Note – Rhino feeding is currently not being offered while new baby MarJon acclimates to visitors and is on exhibit but stay tuned for when he’s ready to participate with mom!

1 pm (Spring and Fall)/ 10:45 am and 12:30 pm (Summer)-

The Hippo Feeding Station is an absolute must-see. You’ll have the incredible opportunity to get up close with our adorable pygmy hippo family, all included with your daily admission. This type of opportunity can cost up to $250 at other facilities.

1:30 pm-

There’s a Bird Training Demonstration. Each day, you’ll have the chance to meet a different feathered friend and watch as they showcase their incredible talents. Plus, you’ll get an inside look at animal training and have the opportunity to meet one of our expert keepers. 

2 pm-

Don’t miss out on the Penguin Feeding experience where you’ll get two fish and an up-close encounter with these tuxedoed creatures for just $10 per person.

Feeding Stations-

All day, you have the opportunity to engage in feeding stations that cater to a variety of animals, such as lemurs, lorikeets, giraffes, tortoises, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Don’t forget about the goats, alpaca, and koi fish, you will need quarters to feed them.

One of the unique features of Tanganyika is that these feeding opportunities are already included in the admission fee. Unlike other zoos where feeding activities come with additional costs ranging from $5 for feeding a giraffe, $2 for a cup of lorikeet nectar, and even up to $75 for feeding a hippo, Tanganyika visitors can enjoy such experiences without any extra charges.

Before visiting Tanganyika, it always best to check the daily schedule to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the amazing experiences the zoo has to offer. By arriving early and planning your day accordingly, you’ll have plenty of time to see and do everything Tanganyika has in store for you. Let’s discuss how to plan your visit from start to finish, ensuring a memorable and fulfilling experience.

The Benefits of Animal Demonstrations for Kids and Families

Parents, we highly encourage you to bring along your kids – animal demonstrations offer an excellent opportunity to teach them about animal behavior, habitats, and conservation efforts. In addition, seeing these magnificent creatures in person can spark a lifelong passion for conservation and wildlife and even inspire a career path for the future.

Your kids and family won’t be the only ones who enjoy the animal demonstrations. Our animals love them too. So if you get to the animal demonstration early, pay attention to the animals. They are usually patiently waiting for their zookeeper to arrive so they can start the session. 

The animals share special relationships with the zookeeping team, and being at an animal demonstration lets you see how that relationship is built. When you meet a keeper, you find out they spend a lot of time building trust with their animals through positive reinforcement. 

Animal demonstrations and zookeeper talks at Tanganyika Wildlife Park offer an authentic and educational experience for visitors of all ages. By connecting with these animals up close and learning about their care and conservation, visitors can cultivate a greater appreciation for the natural world and its incredible creatures. So don’t miss your chance to experience the wonder of animal demonstrations – book your visit to Tanganyika Wildlife Park today!

For more on planning your trip to Tanganyika, read our blog and better yet, add on a special animal experience on your next visit.