Connect to Wildlife
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is home to more than 8,000 animals representing over 600 species. This includes over 30 species of concern, which means their numbers are threatened, endangered, or even critically endangered. When you participate in a Wild Encounter, you not only get up close and personal with these amazing creatures, but you also help the Zoo support our animals. Go behind the scenes and learn about the personalities that make them unique, see how they live, and how we care for them.
Meet the arapaima – amazing monster fish from the Amazon that can grow more than six feet long and weigh over 200 pounds. Explore the depths of this giant and hear the explosive sound it makes as the target-trained fish feeds from the water!
Registration Coming Soon!
Days and Times: Mondays at 11:15 AM
Pricing: $60 Per Person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
An anteater’s amazing tongue is a wonder of nature! It stretches up to two feet long and is coated with sticky saliva. Take part in feeding and watch it in action and learn all about anteaters and their super snouts!
Days and Times: Mondays at 11:15 AM
Pricing: $80 Per Person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
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From majestic owls to colorful parrots, embark on an educational adventure and meet our fascinating avian ambassadors! Our knowledgeable educators share insights into behavior, habitats, and conservation efforts of our feathered friends. (Participating birds will vary.)
Days and Times: Sundays at 1:45 p.m.
Pricing: $75 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
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Discover the secrets of the world’s fastest land animal! Our expert keepers unveil the mysteries of these magnificent creatures as you observe a thrilling training session and witness the cheetah’s intelligence and grace in action. Learn about their remarkable adaptations, conservation challenges, and the vital role they play in their native habitats.
Days and Times: Returning Next Summer!
Pricing: $90 per person
Restrictions: All participants must wear a face mask. Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
Check Back Next SummerCritter Craze: A family friendly expedition
From slithering snakes to adorable armadillos, this unforgettable, fun-filled adventure for the whole family. Furry, scaly, and fantastic friends await at every turn! Learn about their unique behaviors, habitats, and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these amazing creatures. (Animals will vary based on availability.)
Days and Times: Saturdays at 1:45 p.m.
Pricing: $75
Restrictions: Children must be 5 years or older to participate in this encounter.
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Participate in the daily care routine of our majestic African elephants! Join our expert elephant keepers and lend a hand in bathing these gentle giants. Learn about their unique personalities, social dynamics, and the vital role they play in the ecosystem.
Days and Times: Fridays at 11:45 a.m.
Pricing: $150 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
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Step into a realm of whimsy and wonder at this exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with Caribbean flamingos. Learn how these magnificent, feathered friends eat and thrive here at the Zoo.
Days and Times: Sundays at 12:45 p.m.
Pricing: $50 per person
Restrictions: Due to the nature of this behind-the-scenes area, this encounter is not ADA accessible. For ADA accessible experiences, please contact [email protected].
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Take part in the daily routine of our Western lowland gorillas! Craft enrichment items designed to stimulate their minds and bodies, igniting their curiosity and natural instincts. Then, watch as the keepers place the items in the exhibit witness the gorillas’ playful exploration.
Days and Times: Returning Next Summer!
Pricing: $150 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter. Guests will need to provide proof of vaccination and will need to wear PPE that will be provided by the Zoo.
Check Back Next Summer
A lengthier long-necked animal experience for the giraffe aficionado! Join our expert staff for a private up-close interaction with these gentle giants and discover fascinating facts about their anatomy, behavior, and conservation efforts. It’s a journey into the heart of the savanna that promises to leave you with a towering appreciation for the beauty of nature’s tallest ambassadors.
Days and Times: Returning Next Summer
Pricing: $75 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
Check Back Next Summer!
Explore the hidden realms of the rainforest with the elusive pygmy hippopotamus! Meet one of these enchanting creatures up close and learn about their fascinating lives from our knowledgeable staff. Witness a private feeding session and observe the pygmy hippos’ playful antics. Discover the importance of conservation efforts to protect these endangered species and their fragile habitats.
Days and Times: Returning Next Summer
Pricing: $80 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
Check Back Next Summer!
Go behind the scenes and meet our formal feathered friends – the Gentoo and Macaroni penguins! Learn all about these wonderful waddlers and their world.
Days and Times: Sundays/Thursdays at 12:45 PM
Pricing: $125 Per Person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
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Meet our nine-banded armadillo and tamandua, talk to our expert Ambassador Animal care staff, and learn about rainforest habitats and biodiversity: the important interconnections between people, animals, and planet.
Days and Times: Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
Pricing: $100 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter; participant limit of 6 guests.
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Get up close and personal with one of the biggest animals in the world! Learn all about these huge herbivores and receive an exclusive look at how we care for them
More Information Coming Soon!
Get up close and personal with one of nature’s cutest creatures! This private encounter includes a behind-the-scenes training session, a feeding opportunity, and lots of fascinating facts about these playful animals.
Days and Times: 2nd Thursday of every month, 12:15 p.m.
Pricing: $100 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter; participant limit of 4 guests.
Book your encounter!Available spring and summer
Immerse yourself in the underwater world of captivating sharks, including black-tipsharks, zebra sharks, and the charming epaulette shark! Join us for a feeding session and observe these predators in their element. Our expert aquarists guide you through the feeding process, sharing insights into the sharks’ unique behaviors and characteristics.
Days and Times: Saturdays at 1:45 p.m.
Pricing: $60 per person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
Check Back Next Summer!
Learn the inspiring tale of our rescue sea turtle, Harbor, and all about our Sea Turtle Second Chance wildlife rehabilitation program that has rescued and released scores of turtles back into the wild.
Days and Times: Alternating Thursdays at 1:45 PM
Pricing: $75 Per Person
Restrictions: Children must be 8 years or older to participate in this encounter.
Book your encounter!Looking for a Wild Encounter at the International Conservation Center in Somerset, PA?
Want a one-of-a-kind proposal experience sure to wow your partner?
Wild Encounter Rules and Participation Requirements
- All participants must follow the rules and restrictions outlined in each encounter, as well as agree to our Zoo Information and Policies.
- Wild Encounters do not include admission. Admission tickets or active Pittsburgh Zoo Membership is required for all participants. Tickets and Memberships may be purchased online in advance or at admission gates.
- Encounters at the Zoo have age requirements listed with the specific encounter.
- All participants under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
- All participants should wear closed-toe shoes.
- All participants are recommended to have COVID-19 vaccinations and must have a face mask in case it is required.
- Extra health and safety measures, such as gloves and/or temperature checks, may be required during your encounter and will be provided by the Zoo if necessary.
- Touching the animals without explicit direction from a Zoo staff member is not permitted.
- Currently, we are unable to accommodate service animals during Wild Encounters.
- Tickets must be purchased online at least 48 hours in advance.
- If you or a group member have a special need or mobility need, please contact us in advance. Accommodations will be made wherever possible.
- All sales are final. First come, first served.
- Available Wild Encounters are subject to change.
- All Zoo groups will first meet the tour guide at the designated meeting area in the Village of the Zoo
The Zoological Society of Pittsburgh, doing business and hereafter referred to as the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, hosts a Wild Encounter program as a public service at both its Pittsburgh and International Conservation Center locations. While the Pittsburgh Zoo and the staff develop and conduct these encounters with everyone’s safety in mind, animal behaviors can be unpredictable. As such, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium (the Zoo) is unable to accept liability should an accident occur and participation in its Wild Encounter program is at one’s own risk. It is necessary to have your consent for you and others who may be minors to participate in this program and to demonstrate agreement that the Zoo and its personnel will not be held liable in case of an accident.
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium reserves the rights to use any and all photographs and videotapes for television, public relations, and/or marketing efforts of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.
When purchasing an encounter, you hereby release the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, the International Conservation Center, its employees, staff, instructors, and other representatives, from any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any injury to persons or property and the consequences thereof, whether known or unknown and foreseen or unforeseen, incurred as a result of participation in this activity.
By purchasing tickets via online form, you agree that you are signing this form electronically and that your electronic signature is the legal equivalent to a manual signature on this form. By submitting the online form, you also agree that no certification authority or other third-party verification is necessary to validate your e-signature and that the lack of such certification or third-party verification will not in any way affect the enforceability of your e-signature.
