YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Join us for one of our up-close and personal Wildlife Connections and 100% of the money raised will go directly to help save wildlife in their native habitats.
Want to have a one-on-one experience with one of the Zoo’s exciting animals and their keeper, and at the same time help save animals in the wild? Our Wildlife Connections program is the answer. One of our expert Utah’s Hogle Zoo keepers will be your personal guide as they give you an insider’s look at the Zoo and share their passion for the animals in their care. Listen to stories of the animals’ antics and personality quirks that will open your eyes to what it takes to care for this wild menagerie. Please see Rules and Limitations below.
Cost DOES NOT include Zoo admission!
Space is limited so make your reservation today online or by visiting our Member and Guest Services office.
FEED A GIRAFFE!
What’s rough and purple and up to 22” long? A giraffe’s tongue!
Get eye-to-eye and hand-to-tongue with these ‘super models of the Savanna’ during our daily public giraffe feedings from Twiga Terrace. Guests can purchase the opportunity to feed our giraffes – a great chance to get the perfect photo and a quick moment to chat with keepers and our Education Team about these amazing creatures.
- May 1st– 25th – Friday – Sunday; 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm
- May 26th– August 31st* – Daily feeds; 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00
- September 1st– 30th – Friday – Sunday; 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00
- Special Events – Family Nights and Zoo Brews – 6:30pm
- Purchase tickets at Twiga Terrace for just $5 immediately before a feed until sold out.
- No minimum age. Each person gets their own feed for giraffes and may not share with others.
- Encounter lasts until your your 2-3 pieces of lettuce/feed are gone. You may take as many photos as you like at that time.
- Located at our covered Twiga Terrace pavilion.
- Wait time may vary depending on the giraffes and their interest in eating.
FEED A RHINO!
Purchase a Rhino Feeding >>
Come meet our white rhinos, George and Princess! The sibling duo is sure to win you over with their lovable nature and favorite scratching spots. Feed George a bucket of produce and get time to pet, scratch and have your photo taken with both rhinos.
This is one of the few encounters where you can actually touch the beautiful animals, feel their thick skin and look for the soft spots. You also get time to pose for photos and one-on-one time with the rhino keepers to get your questions answered.
You will learn about rhinos and the conservation efforts being made by Hogle Zoo to help save this amazing species in the wild.
$129.00 per group
- *Maximum 6 people per group
- Located in designated area of outdoor yard
- One-on-one with rhino keeper
- Seasonal – April through October and weather dependent
- Available 6 days a week at 2:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (no Wednesday)
- Tickets may be purchased up until 1:00pm same day of desired feeding.
- Minimum age: 6 (children 6-9 need to be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adult is not part of the encounter unless paid for)
- Encounter lasts 20-30 minutes.
- Funds raised go to International Rhino Foundation
FEED THE GORILLAS!
Purchase an Enriching Gorilla Experience >>
Help the Great Ape keepers deliver daily enrichment to the gorillas! Get a glimpse into what it’s like caring for Silverback, Husani, and his two ladies, Jabali and JoRayK. Learn as you help prepare fun and creative treats and activities to keep these intelligent animals engaged. Then you can help toss the enrichment to the gorillas in their outdoor habitat, see their natural behaviors and make their day! Learn more about what you can do to help save gorillas in the wild! Please note that for the safety of the animals, guests will be asked to wear gloves and a mask when in contact with their food.
$129.00 per group
- *Maximum 6 people per group
- Located in the outdoor exhibits of the Great Ape Building
- One-on-one with great ape keeper(s)
- Seasonal – May through October – Weather dependent
- Available Thursday through Sunday at 10:30am (Thurs Fri Sat Sun only)
- Tickets may be purchased up until 10:15am same day of desired feeding.
- Feeding is with gorillas and not orangutans due to the social dynamics.
- Minimum age: none
- Funds go to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center.
ORANGUTAN TRAINING EXPERIENCE!
Purchase an Orangutan Training Experience >>
Have you fallen in love with orangutans Acara, her baby brother Tuah and big boy, Mia? Be the first and only guests in the Great Ape Building to experience a training session with our trio. It can be challenging to keep this charismatic and curious species engaged. Our keepers spend a lot of time working with the threesome and you’ll be able to observe and ask questions.
You’ll get one-on-one time with our keepers to learn more about what you can do to help save orangutans in the wild! Please note for the safety of our animals, guests will not have direct contact with the orangutans but rather get a closer look with exclusive interactions.
$129.00 per group
- *Maximum 10 people per group
- Located at the Orangutan Exhibit in the Great Ape Building
- One-on-one with great ape keeper(s)
- Year-round: Lobby closed in the summer until 9:30am when encounter is over.
- Available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9:00am
- Tickets may be purchased until 6pm the day before due to the timing of the encounter.
- Minimum age: none
- Funds go to the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program
FEED A GIANT TORTOISE!
Purchase a Tortoise Feeding >>
Meet our 450 lb. Aldabra tortoise, Kronk, his lady Yzma and their cousins from Madagascar, the Radiated Tortoise! See, feed, and touch one of the world’s largest living tortoise species in one of the few Wildlife Connections that allow you to enter the enclosure. You’ll be able to visit with our resident tortoises and feed them a meal of fresh fruit and veggies. Keepers will talk about each tortoise, what Hogle Zoo is doing to save tortoises in the wild and how you can help!
$129.00 per group
- *Maximum 5 people per group
- Located in the Rainforest exhibit of the Small Animal Building (winter), or in the outdoor tortoise yard (summer)
- One-on-one with reptile keeper
- Year-round
- Available Saturday’s only at 11:30am
- Minimum age: 5 (children ages 5-9 need to be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adult is not part of the encounter unless paid for)
- Funds go to Hogle Zoo’s own Radiated Tortoise – Madagascar Program
A ZOO-NIQUE ENGAGEMENT!
Purchase an Animal Engagement Opportunity >>
This is the most important moment in your life. You love them. You want to spend the rest of your life with them. You have the ring in hand, but now…. how to ask? You want it to be special and perfect! Are they an animal lover? How about a totally zoo-nique engagement idea?!
$300.00 per couple (or $400 which include a special pair of one-of-a-kind animal painted wine glasses)
- *This experience is limited to the happy couple (You are welcome to invite family and friends as additional paying guests. Please plan to provide your own photographer to capture this exciting moment!)
- Feel free to contact us by email for more details
- Year-round and weather dependent
- Available Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays at 1:30pm
- Minimum age: 18
- Funds go to the International Elephant Foundation
Rules and Regulations
- Utah’s Hogle Zoo reserves the right to cancel any Encounter without prior notice and animal participation cannot be guaranteed
- Cost does not include Zoo Admission
- Connections are limited to available dates and times
- All Connections start at Member & Guest Service Office
- Service animals cannot be accommodated during the Connection
- Program requests must be made a minimum 1 week in advance and not to exceed frequency guidelines outlined.
- Late arrivals cannot be accommodated.
- Some physical limitations cannot be accommodated.
- Utah’s Hogle Zoo reserves the right to end encounters early for the safety of Zoo animals or guests as determined by keepers and other staff. No refunds will be given if an encounter ends before the encounter is over for failure to comply with rules and regulations.
- All Guests participating in a Wildlife Connection release Utah’s Hogle Zoo to photograph, film, videotape, record or otherwise reproduce the image and /or voice of any person who enters the Zoo and use the same for any purpose without permission or payment.
Contact Utah’s Hogle Zoo for specific questions regarding rules & limitations.
(801) 584-1700
Nurturing respect and appreciation for the natural world
