Oregon Zoo Education Behind the Scenes Encounters

Get a chance to visit "staff-only" areas around the Zoo and see exhibits from the other side of the railing. Learn how animal care staff keep our animals happy and healthy.

For more information:
Education Registrar:503-220-2781
E-mail: Tracy Modde

Cancellation Policy: Refunds, minus a 10% administrative fee, are available only if you cancel 5 working days before the program date.

Register online or download the registration form.

VIP Encounters | Behind-the-Scenes Encounters | Family Encounters

VIP ENCOUNTERS 2009
Spend 90 minutes with our keepers getting up close and personal with our animals — a fun way to help fund the Oregon Zoo and its programs.
Ages: 14 and up. Time: 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Cost: Zoo members $85 Non-members $100
~~Africa Savanna~~- CANCELLED Sunday, June 28 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Monkeys, antelopes and crocodiles…oh my! Join our keepers as you wander the wilds of Africa. Visit the rhino barn and get a chance to meet Pete. Trek over to the giraffe barn and feed the giraffe some tasty treats. Learn from the people working with the animals every day about some of the challenges of working with such a diverse group of residents. Steller Cove Saturday, July 11 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Join the marine life staff for a training session with the sea otters and sea lions. Learn what "seat", "move-up" and "water" mean in marine mammal terms. Discover who will work hard for a tasty squid treat. Remember to wear your beach shoes, you might get wet. ~~Elephant Wash~~- FILLED Saturday, August 15 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Bring a whole new meaning to "wash behind your ears". Join the elephant keepers as one of their charges gets a bath. You may even get to grab a brush and do some scrubbing! Come prepared for some big splashes.
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BEHIND-THE-SCENES ENCOUNTERS 2009
Each one-hour program includes time with zoo educators and keeper staff. Go behind the scenes and discover what it really takes to care for our animals.
Ages: 12 and up. Time: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.	Cost: Zoo members $34 Non-members $40
Wolves Encounter Sunday, March 11 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. See one of the Northwest's classic predator/prey relationships up close. Learn how wolves and elk depend on one another in the wild, and how they are getting along living side by side at the Zoo. Sea Otter Encounter Saturday, August 8 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Help us try to outsmart the sea otters. Help make enrichment puzzles for our clever furry friends. Learn some of the challenges of keeping animals with very curious minds and very agile paws physically and mentally active. Discover how natural curiosity can help and hurt otters in the wild, and how they might be making a return to Oregon’s waters.
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FAMILY ENCOUNTERS 2009
This opportunity is for children 8-13 years of age to bring an adult and explore behind the scenes. These special experiences will explore how our animals live and how we take care of them at the Oregon Zoo.
Ages: 8-13 with adult. Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Cost: Zoo members: $50 for two persons, $25 each additional person. Non-members: $60 for two persons, $30 each additional person.
~~Elephant Painting Family Encounter~~- FILLED Sunday, June 14 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Join Rama as he finger paints his next masterpiece. He uses the "finger" on the end of his trunk just like you might use your fingers. See how keepers are using painting as enrichment and training to keep Rama's mind active and artistic skills sharp. You'll even get to take a piece of the masterpiece home with you (frame not included). Penguin Family Encounter Sunday, July 12 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Penguins are more than well-dressed birds; they are birds that "fly" underwater. You have a chance to learn about our penguins and how the keepers take care of them. You'll even have a chance to meet Mochica, the penguin with personality and see this spring's chicks. Bear Family Encounter Saturday, August 8 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Discover some of the special adaptations polar bears have for living in the cold and how sun bears deal with a warm tropical climate. Help make some treats for the biggest and smallest bears in the world. Learn who prefers fish and who would rather eat fruit.
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