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See Zoo Animals in Action at Meet the Keeper Talks
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"We have Talks on every animal from A to Z," notes Natural Encounters Curator Beth Schaefer, "from Tuck the armadillo to Zuri the African pygmy falcon."
One frequent Talk at Natural Encounters is red panda training, where you might see a keeper interacting with a panda inside the exhibit. Talks vary depending on what animals and keepers are available that day - to find exactly what will be happening in Natural Encounters, there are two marker boards that are updated each morning, one outside and one just inside the main entrance to the Natural Encounters building.
In the Carnivore Department, Talks include the popular Lion and Tiger Training Windows as well as some lesser known but equally fantastic talks such as with the jaguars and the maned wolf.
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Primate Meet the Keeper Talks often include special treats for the animals, such as hard-boiled eggs or peanuts for the howler monkeys or flowers for the sifakas.
"Primates may vocalize during the Keeper Talks," added Colahan. "You might hear the howlers or the siamangs call."
Although it's not the case with our primates or carnivores, many Meet the Keeper Talks do offer an opportunity for guests to touch an animal. Reptiles such as lizards or non-venomous snakes may be presented.
"We even have some touch animals that are perfectly safe to touch but you might not want to touch, like the Madagascar hissing cockroaches," noted Schaefer. More cuddly touch animals include Freeday the duck, sometimes at Talks in the Children's Zoo, or our giant flemish rabbits.
Meet the Keeper Talks are a chance for guests to learn about the animals, where they're from, what they eat in the wild and at the zoo, and to ask questions of the keepers who work with the animals. You can also find out about endangered species and the conservation of these animals in the wild.
Our YouTube channel includes many videos of Meet The Keeper talks, and they can give you an idea of what you might see at a Talk. Here's a few of them:
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Visit the Meet the Keeper Talks Schedule webpage to find out what animals have special feedings, showings, or enrichment activities today.
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