Wildlife Connections

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!

Check out our new Wildlife Connections!

Space is limited so make your reservation today online or by visiting our Member and Guest Services office.

FEED A RHINO!

Purchase a Rhino Feeding >>
Come meet our white rhinos for an up-close and personal encounter. This is for up to six people and includes feeding a snack to the second largest land mammal on earth! You will learn about rhinos and the conservation efforts being made by Hogle Zoo to help save this amazing species in the wild.

$200.00 per group*

$180.00 for a Zoo Member*

*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 7 days a week at 2:30 p.m.
Minimum age: 6 (children 6-9 need to be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adult is not part of the encounter unless paid for)
Funds raised go to International Rhino Foundation

GO APE OVER ENRICHMENT!

Purchase an Enriching Great Ape Experience >>
Help the Great Ape keepers deliver daily enrichment to the gorillas! Learn about our Great Apes and all the fun and creative activities keepers provide for these intelligent animals to encourage their natural behaviors. Then you can help toss these goodies to the gorillas in their outdoor habitat 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.

$120.00 per group*

$108.00 for a Zoo Member

*Maximum 6 people per group
Located in the outdoor exhibits of the Great Ape Building
One-on-one with Great Ape Keeper(s)
Seasonal – April through October and weather dependent
Available Sundays – Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Minimum age: none
Funds go to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center

GIRAFFE VIP!

Purchase a Giraffe VIP experience >>
Come have a private meet and greet with a giraffe on the exclusive VIP Observation Tower. This is for up to five people and includes feeding a snack to the“supermodels of the savanna”! You will learn about fun giraffe facts, animal training and the conservation efforts being made by Hogle Zoo to help save this amazing species in the wild.

$180.00 per group*

$162.00 for a Zoo Member

*Maximum 5 people per group
Located on the behind-the-scenes Giraffe VIP Observation Tower
One-on-one with Giraffe Keeper
Seasonal – June through October and weather dependent
Available Fridays & Saturdays at 10 a.m.
Minimum age: 3 (children 3-5 need to be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adult is not part of the encounter unless paid for)
Funds go to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation

ORANGUTAN TRAINING EXPERIENCE!

Purchase an Orangutan Training Experience >>
Meet the orangutans and learn more about them firsthand from the keepers that care for these intelligent and charismatic animals. You’ll have the opportunity to observe an exclusive morning training session before the Great Apes building opens that few get to experience and 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 1 on 1 look with exclusive interactions.

$160.00 per group*

$144.00 for a Zoo Member

*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
Available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
9:00 a.m.(March – October) or 9:45 a.m. (November – February)
Minimum age: none
Funds go to the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program

FEED A GIANT TORTOISE!

Purchase a Tortoise Feeding >>
Meet our ancient giants of Aldabra as well as their cousins, the Radiated Tortoise from Madagascar! See, feed, and touch one of the world’s largest living tortoise species in one of the few Wildlife Connections that allow guests to actually enter the animals’ zoo habitat. 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!

$150.00 per group*

$135.00 for a Zoo Member

*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 Fridays and Sundays at 11 a.m.
Minimum age: 5 (children 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)*

$270.00 (or $360 with wine glasses) for a Zoo Member

*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 1:30 p.m.
Minimum age: 18
Funds go to the International Elephant Foundation

FEED THE BIRDS!

Purchase a Rainforest Feeding >>
A bird lovers dream come true! Go behind the scenes with the Zoo Keepers of our Small Animal Building as they prepare breakfast for the animals in the Rainforest. Then head out and help place the diets throughout the habitat. Next, you will help the Keepers do their morning animal count and have a chance to see some of the unique wildlife that a lot of people miss when they come through this exhibit.

$80.00 per group*

$72.00 for a Zoo Member

*Maximum 5 people per group
Located in the Rainforest exhibit of the Small Animal Building
One-on-one with Rainforest Keeper
Seasonal – March through October
Available every other Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Minimum age: 5 (children 5-9 need to be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adult is not part of the encounter unless paid for)
Funds go to a Staff Conservation Fund

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 will not be accommodated
Some physical limitations cannot be accommodated
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

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.