10+ Ways to Upgrade Your Day with Unforgettable Animal Encounters at ZooTampa
Go nose-to-horn with a rhino as you feed them their veggies. Learn about the unique personalities of giraffes. Sit eye to eye with a giant tortoise!
When you participate in one of these unforgettable animal encounters at ZooTampa with the kids, you’ll truly feel like you’ve stepped inside your very own episode of “Secrets of the Zoo: ZooTampa.”
This is an exciting time at ZooTampa with the recent unveiling of Florida Waters, making it a great time to invest in a ZooTampa membership. Here's the bonus…a membership gets you discounts on these incredible animal encounters!
The Zoo also released a few NEW tours as well that give you an Inside Look at the work that goes on every day to rescue and rehabilitate animals.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Encounters and backstage tours for non-members range from $19.95-$34.95 each, depending on the day and experience. For ZooTampa members, prices range from $14.95-$29.95 unless otherwise noted.
- We recommend booking your encounter in advance to secure your spot since they can sell out.
- Photographers on site take photos that you can purchase for almost all the encounters, so you can focus on enjoying the experience with your kids rather than getting the perfect image.
- Dates vary based on the encounter. For the most up-to-date schedule, visit zootampa.org/encounters.
- Animal encounters are subject to animal cooperation.
NEW Animal Tours at ZooTampa
ZooTampa recently launched a few more new tours and experiences, just in time for summer break!
NEW: Inside Look Tours
Members: $50 | Non-Members: $65 | 45-minute tour | Ages 5+
There are three new Inside Look Tour themes to choose from, and what your tour will look like will vary based on which animals need care that day. We were able to see a spoonbill chick receive acupuncture on one of its legs, and watched as animal keepers tube-fed a manatee that had been rescued that week. It was pretty incredible to witness and really does give you a whole new appreciation for the work that happens every day here at the Zoo.
Inside Look Tour Themes:
- Animal Nutrition: You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at ZooTampa’s Animal Nutrition Center and help the dedicated team prepare food for animals in their care. You may even get to feed the animals, too.
- Animal Health: This is a chance to step inside the Catherine Lowry Straz Veterinary Hospital, where ZooTampa’s team treats animals of all sizes. You’ll get to chat with a zoo veterinarian about all of the tools they use and how they’re able to keep animals of all sizes happy and healthy.
- Saving a Species: ZooTampa works with several Species Survival Programs, and you’ll get to see one in action with a behind-the-scenes look at the new Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Center in Florida Waters to learn about how they’re working to save species like the striped newt, Puerto Rican crested toads and Panamanian golden frogs.
NEW: Discover ZooTampa Tour
Members: $120 | Non-Members: $160 | 90-minute tour | Ages 5+
This is the perfect tour for animal lovers and kids who want to grow up to be the next generation of animal keepers. Your family will get to take on the role of an Animal Care Professional and go behind-the-scenes to work alongside the zoo’s dedicated team as they provide world-class care, enrichment activities and training exercises to their wildlife residents.
Painting with Orangutans
Members: $100 | Non-Members: $140 | Ages 5+
Create a masterpiece to take home with a Bornean Orangutan animal artist! Open to ages 5 and up. This experience will be available on Sundays in June and July at 8:30 a.m. Zoo admission is included with the event ticket.
MORE Unforgettable animal encounters at ZooTampa
Experiences we love for kids ages 5 and older at ZooTampa
Stingray In-Water Encounter
Guests must be 48 inches or taller
Offered daily
This is one of our favorites because there is nothing quite like the experience of getting in the water with the stingrays! It's offered in the morning, so you'll want to book this one in advance. The zoo provides the wetsuits and water shoes, and there are private showers so you can rinse off to enjoy the rest of your day.
African Elephant Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Ages 5 and older
Offered daily
This signature encounter puts you behind the scenes and up close with the zoo’s African elephants. Get one-on-one time with the animal care team as they show you how they care for the world’s largest land animal. You’ll even get to sit in on a training session.
Manatee Critical Care Center Backstage Encounter
Ages 5 and older, but recommended for ages 12 and older
Offered daily
When you sign up for this NEW encounter that starts this month, you can go behind the scenes to learn more about the care that ZooTampa’s non-profit manatee critical care center provides to sick, injured and orphaned manatees. The zoo recently expanded its ability to care for even more manatees.
Greater One-Horned Rhino Encounter
Ages 5 and older
Offered daily
We love this experience because it’s a unique chance to go nose-to-horn with these beautiful animals. During your encounter, you’ll get a briefing on how the zoo cares for the Great One-Horned Rhinos and have a chance to participate in a unique enrichment opportunity!
Animal Encounters for children of all ages at ZooTampa
*Ages 3 and older require a Zoo ticket.
Clouded Leopard Encounter
Open to all ages
Offered daily
This is one of the Zoo's newer animal experiences, where you can get up close to these beautiful creatures and learn how the team at ZooTampa cares for them. You might even be able to help participate in a training session. We did this with our boys and loved it. Guests and Zoo staff wear face masks during the encounter to protect the leopards as they can be susceptible to human illnesses.
NEW: Private Koala Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Offered Saturdays and Sundays
Open to all ages
This family favorite allows you and the kids to step inside the world of the zoo’s koalas from an outdoor area with a walkway built around the koalas’ branches. You won’t get to touch the koalas, but you will get a close-up view of the adorable creatures!
*This tour is for up to five guests. It’s $150 for Zoo members and $175 for nonmembers.
Giraffe Encounter
Open to all ages
Offered Wednesdays-Sundays
Did you know giraffes are the world’s tallest animals? This is among the many fun facts you’ll learn about each resident giraffe – and they each have their own unique personalities, just like people do. Learn about the positive reinforcement training techniques the team uses and more!
Giant Tortoise Encounter
Offered daily
Little ones will love this experience that places them inside the Aldabra tortoise’s world at the zoo. They’ll get to touch the tortoise gently and hang out with the animal care team that takes care of them.
African Penguin Encounter
Open to all ages
Offered daily
Waddle on over to this signature encounter to meet the colony of African penguins who call ZooTampa home. Their animal care team will be ready to answer all of your questions about how they care for the endangered species.
Stingray Feeding at Stingray Shores
Offered daily
The stingray-touching experience is FREE with your admission. Feeding opportunities are open throughout the day for a small fee, based on availability. Check with a team member at Stingray Shores for more information.
Lorikeet Landing Aviary
Offered daily
Admission to the Lorikeet Aviary is included with zoo admission, and, if you’re lucky, you might be able to feed the lorikeets for a small fee. Be sure to ask an employee inside the Lorikeet Landing Aviary for details when you arrive.
