activities · 15
what they do
direct service · 15
- Ag Day: Seed to Table Event Desert Food Harvesting & Processing EducationHosted Ag Day: Seed to Table on March 21, an event featuring agricultural demonstrations, food, and a Community Hero award to connect visitors with local agriculture.
- Behind-the-Scenes Animal Tours Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOffers a variety of Behind-the-Scenes tours such as Tiny Trunk Time, Sloth Bear Necessities, and Tall Tails, providing up-close animal education experiences for individuals and families.
- Butterfly Garden and Chrysalis House Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOperates a walk-through Butterfly Garden with hundreds of live butterflies and a Chrysalis House where visitors can observe butterflies emerging, offering an immersive nature experience.
- Chef Sprout’s Growing and Healthy Eating ProgramOffers Chef Sprout’s Growing and Healthy Eating Program featuring hands-on activities and seasonal recipes to educate children and families about nutrition and healthy eating.
- Children’s Nature Play Zone Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOperates the Children’s Nature Play Zone featuring the Wilderness Falls splash pad and a Dino Dig fossil excavation experience designed to engage children in nature-based play.
- Daily Animal Chats Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersConducts scheduled daily animal chats at exhibits including sea lions, white rhinos, African elephants, reptiles, otters, lions, sharks, cheetahs, flamingos, tigers, and birds to enhance visitor education.
- Discounted Admission for SNAP Recipients Arts Ticket Access ProgramsOffers discounted $5 general admission tickets to SNAP recipients through the Welcome Wednesdays program, with a maximum of 4 tickets per cardholder to increase accessibility.
- Early Bird Tours Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersConducts guided Early Bird Tours from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., including a zoo tour and breakfast snack from Kudu Café; also offers a Baby Edition as a 45-minute version focused on newborn animals.
- Free-Flight Bird Shows Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersHosts daily free-flight bird shows at 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. featuring birds from around the world, offering educational entertainment for zoo visitors.
- Giraffe Feeding Experience Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOffers a giraffe feeding experience at Twiga Terrace for $6 per person, or $5 for members, providing visitors with an interactive animal encounter.
- Group Behind-the-Scenes Adventures Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersProvides 2-hour Group Behind-the-Scenes tours for classes, clubs, or troops of up to 100 guests, priced at $600 for up to 20 guests with additional guests at $30 each, including visits to up to three behind-the-scenes animal areas.
- Roo & You Family Program Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersRuns Roo & You, a family program designed for parents and young children to learn about animals together through interactive experiences.
- Stingray Touch and Feeding Experience Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOperates Stingray Bay where guests can touch and feed cownose and southern stingrays for $5 per person, with free admission for members and $3 feedings while supplies last.
- Youth Educational Camps Zoo-Based Environmental Education ProgramsOffers educational camps for children that include zoo visits, animal learning activities, and themed crafts to promote engagement with wildlife and conservation.
- Zoorassic Park Dinosaur Exhibit Interactive Wildlife Exhibits & Animal EncountersOperates Zoorassic Park, a seasonal exhibit featuring lifelike dinosaurs that opened on March 28, combining entertainment and education for visitors.
strategies · 4
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Community access through public funding community-access-programProvides affordable access to the zoo for local residents by leveraging public funding from Measure Z to subsidize admission costs, increasing inclusivity and local engagement.
- Education through experiential engagement experiential_educationThe zoo leverages immersive animal encounters and on-site experiences as a core mechanism to inspire public care for animals, foster community connections, and promote wildlife conservation.
- Inclusive design for neurodiverse visitors inclusive_designEnhances accessibility for guests with autism and developmental disabilities through co-designed tools such as video social stories and interactive digital guides developed with Pal Experiences and healthcare partners.
- Species conservation via national partnerships species_conservation_partnershipAdvances species and habitat conservation by collaborating with national programs focused on restoration efforts, including pollinator protection and endangered species initiatives.
named programs · 16
what they call their work
Animal Chats
Daily scheduled educational talks at animal habitats including sea lions, elephants, lions, tigers, and reptiles
Behind-the-Scenes Adventures
Exclusive tours offering closer looks at specific animals and their care, including Tiny Trunk Time (elephants), Sloth Bear Necessities, Wild About Warthogs, Gills & Thrills (sharks), Tortally Shellstruck (tortoises), Fun With Flippers (seals/sea lions), Tall Tails (giraffes), Scales & Tales (reptiles), Roo Rendezvous (kangaroos), and Dragon Discovery (Komodo dragons).
Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Exclusive educational experiences such as Tiny Trunk Time (elephants), Sloth Bear Necessities, and Scales & Tales (reptiles)
Bird Shows
Educational free-flight bird shows featuring birds from around the world.
Children’s Nature Play Zone
Interactive area with Wilderness Falls splash pad (seasonal) and Dino Dig fossil excavation site for children
Early Bird Tours
Guided morning tour (8–9 AM) including zoo admission and breakfast snack; limited to 10 guests
Feed The Giraffes at Twiga Terrace
An experience allowing guests to feed giraffes.
Feed the Giraffes at Twiga Terrace
Interactive experience where guests feed lettuce to giraffes for $6 ($5 for members)
George’s Pass
Sponsored by Valley Children’s Healthcare, provides sensory backpacks, noise-canceling headphones, and access to Quiet and Headphone Zones
Group Behind the Scenes
Two-hour educational program for groups (grades 4+) visiting up to three behind-the-scenes animal areas; $600 for up to 20 guests
Group Behind the Scenes Adventure
Educational program for groups (4th grade and up) to visit up to three different behind-the-scenes animal spaces.
PAL Place Program
Partnership with Pal Experiences to provide video social stories and digital guides for guests with autism and developmental disabilities
Pal Experiences Partnership
Collaboration with Pal Experiences to create free tools, including a video social story and interactive digital guide, to help individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities enjoy their visit.
Touch Stingrays
Opportunity to touch or feed cownose and southern stingrays; $5 admission (free for members), $3 feeding fee
Welcome Wednesdays
Discounted $5 general admission for SNAP recipients; max 4 tickets per EBT cardholder, available only on Wednesdays
Winged Wonders Bird Show
Free-flight bird show featuring birds from around the world, held daily at 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM
relationships · 6
who they work with
- AZA SAFE Program Partner — Partner in the SAFE program for North American Monarch conservation.
- Kaiser Permanente Partner — Sponsor of Chef Sprout’s Growing and Healthy Eating Program
- Noble Credit Union Partner — Sponsor of the Stingray Bay touch experience
- Pal Experiences Partner — Partnered to create accessibility tools for guests with autism and developmental disabilities, including a video social story and interactive digital guide
- Valley Children’s Healthcare Partner — Presented complimentary giraffe feeding to first 150 Welcome Wednesday guests on the first Wednesday of each month.
- Valley Children’s Healthcare Partner — Presenting sponsor for giraffe feeding and George’s Pass; collaborator on developing accessibility tools for visitors with sensory needs