Please note that:
(SEASONAL ONLY and is not available during colder months. Availability projected to begin by June, 2026)
Get up close to our White-Handed Gibbon family! Feed them their favorite snacks and learn about their wonderful adaptations.
Starting at $300 | Up to 4 People | 8 Years +
Booked Friday and Saturdays, 2:15pm
*PPE required and will be provided.
Go behind-the-scenes and get up close to our Red Pandas. Feed them their favorite treats and learn about the red panda conservation status. Please note that this is our most popular encounter and may need to be booked several months in advance.
Starting at $250 | Up to 4 People | 12 Years +
Booked Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30am
*PPE required and will be provided.
Get up close to some of our carnivores, the African Painted Dogs! This encounter consists of a feeding done by the keeper, a private keeper talk, and an enrichment which guests may be allowed to assist with creating.
Starting at $200 | Up to 4 People | 10 Years +
Booked Sunday and Tuesday at 2:30pm
*PPE required and will be provided.
Get up close to our the Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra! Feed them their favorite snacks and go behind-the-scenes in their barn!
Starting at $150 | Up to 4 People | 8 Years +
Booked Thursday and Sunday at 11:00am
Go beyond the ordinary zoo visit with our exclusive VIP Tour experience! This private, guided adventure offers you an insider’s look at the Utica Zoo and the incredible animals who call it home.
Starting at $75, each additional $25 | Up to 6 People
Contact encounters@uticazoo.org to book
All Experiences must be booked two weeks in advance.
*Admission is not included.
Get up close to meet Hazel and her two daughters, Nutmeg and Pikaboo, the miniature donkeys. Feed them their lunch, brush them, pet them, and learn about our adorable donkeys from our Keepers!
Starting at $75 | Up to 6 People | 8 Years +
Booked Thursday and Sunday at 12:30pm
*Admission is not included.
Get a closer look at the Utica Zoo’s largest animals while feeding him his favorite snacks and learning from our Keepers!
Starting at $75 | Up to 4 People | 8 Years +
Booked Wednesdays & Saturdays, 12:30pm
*Admission is not included.
Get a chance to feed our Nigerian Dwarf Goats right inside their exhibit! Perfect for young children and families.
Starting at $50 | Up to 4 People | 8 Years +
Booked Tuesday & Saturday, 10:30am
*Admission is not included.
Our Ambassador/Education animals play a special role in telling the stories of their wild counterparts. Meet our animals up close and hear their stories.
Starting at $30 | Up to 4 People | All Ages
Booked Saturday and Sunday, 1:00pm
*Admission is not included.
Purchase the perfect gift: a gift card with a value of your choosing and no expiration date!
This gift card is only good for purchasing items from our website, such as Animal Encounters. It is not good for purchases for general admission, memberships, gift shop purchases, or concessions.
*for groups of 10 or more, ask our ticket window about our discounted “group rate”*