Wild Encounters
Wild Encounters are a way to meet personally with amazing animals, and learn about our extraordinary work right from our keepers. No matter your encounter or cart tour preference, we have the perfect program to make it a day you’ll never forget. It’s your chance to meet giraffes, cheetahs, penguins, or your choice of many other animals - including some you may have seen on Animal Planet’s THE ZOO!
- Chat with the keepers and get answers to your most challenging questions
- Meet some of the stars of Animal Planet’s THE ZOO
- Get close to amazing animals
- Support the Bronx Zoo while connecting with wildlife like never before
No two Wild Encounters are ever the same - you never know what surprise guests might show up!
Important
- Review program policies before booking.
- Please note that Encounter tickets are for Wild Encounter programs only; guests must have timed ticket reservations for zoo entry. PRIVATE encounters are for ONE group of a family/party. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS are mixed participation with per-person tickets.
Availability is limited – so be sure to reserve your Wild Encounter right away.
Available Encounters
SPECIAL FEBRUARY MEMBER DISCOUNT
From February 1 through February 28 only, purchase in-person Wild Encounters using the Member Portal to receive a 20% discount! Must present valid Membership card at program check-in.
Promotion code must be entered at the time of checkout for discount. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Not applicable towards prior purchases.
- THIS TICKET IS FOR THE PROGRAM ONLY AND DOES NOT SERVE AS ADMISSION INTO THE ZOO. Must have a timed ticket reservation for one-day ticket or Member ticket reservation in order to enter the Bronx Zoo. Timed ticket reservations must be done online in advance.
- CHECK-IN FOR ALL ON-SITE WILD ENCOUNTER PROGRAMS IS INSIDE THE ZOO CENTER BUILDING (10-15 minutes prior to program start time). We recommend arriving to the zoo via Southern Boulevard Gate (the closest entrance to Zoo Center). Please be sure to plan more than enough time for travel, as programs always start on time and we are unable to accommodate late arrivals. Guests who do not arrive to check-in by the program start time forfeit their reservation and there is no refund or rescheduling for late arrivals.
- RAIN OR SHINE! Programs run in all weather. We recommend comfortable clothing and shoes for walking. 5-10 min walk from Check-In to classroom location.
- Animal experiences can be unpredictable. While we plan to join you with the species noted for your reservation, please know that unforeseen circumstances may happen and changes may be made at the keeper’s discretion. For at-exhibit programs, it is up to the animals to choose to participate and we cannot guarantee the duration of time the animals will spend engaging with us.
- PRIVATE SESSIONS FOR MORE THAN 6 ARE AVAILABLE: Private encounters can be adjusted to accommodate more than 6 guests in the same family/party. Call us for arrangements and add-on pricing.(vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021)
- AGE RESTRICTIONS AND CHAPERONE POLICIES MUST BE FOLLOWED. Check your specific program for details. Adult (18+) supervision for any participant 17 and under is required. If not otherwise stated, the chaperone ratio for children under 14 is no more than 4 children to 1 adult. Due to limited capacity, tickets are final sale and errors based on age requirements will not be refunded. Programs are always limited to paid participants only. OTHER FAMILY/FRIENDS/CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND.
- CART TOURS DO INCLUDE PLENTY OF WALKING. Many exhibit areas and views are not reachable by vehicle. Carts provide the best travel between exhibits but there will be frequent stops and all programs require guests to walk short distances throughout the tour experience.
- CAMERAS: no tripods; only handheld devices are welcome. Flashes are not permitted to be used in some exhibits. For CHEETAH CONNECTION, all camera shutter sounds must be silent and no long lenses. On all other programs we can typically permit photo/video; however, animals can be sensitive to unfamiliar objects/sounds/movements and we require all guest to abide by instructions from zoo staff if told to stop filming or put away your devices. Thank you for your cooperation when you are asked to remove items or stop certain actions during a program.
- PERSONAL ITEMS: Only bring what you will carry, as we do not have space for storage and the cart will be left unattended at times when the tour is inside exhibit areas.
- STROLLERS are not able to be loaded onto the tour cart and there are stroller restrictions at some exhibits. If bringing a personal stroller, we can store that at the Check In area during your tour.
- MASK POLICY: At this time, there are no programs requiring masks to be worn. For the health and safety of our animals, WCS reserves the right to implement mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status, for indoor programs at the time of the session. If this is implemented, staff will have masks available for guests. In addition, guests and staff may choose to wear masks for a variety of reasons, so please be kind and considerate of others.
- CHANGE/CANCELLATION: On-site program reservations are non-refundable. Reservations may be changed up to 5 days before the program and will be subject to a $15 Administrative Change Fee. Less than 5 days, changes are not permitted. (Contact us at vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021)
- ACCESSIBILITY: Guests must contact us in advance if someone in your reservation needs assistance or accommodations for accessibility, so we can help provide appropriate support and the best Wild Encounter experience. This includes, but is not limited to, guests who may need/use wheelchair or mobility support, assistive listening support, or have sensory sensitivities. (vipexperiences@wcs.org, or call 347-308-9021).