Become a zoo keeper for the day

Zoo Keeper for a day (animal experience sessions)

Have you ever really wondered what it would be like to be a zoo keeper for a day? Do penguins smell, what does an agouti eat, how big is the world’s largest rodent and just how many times in a day does a zoo keeper have to feed a baby parrot?

Exmoor Zoo can offer you a very special experience – Zoo Keeper for a Day! This is a very popular activity at the zoo and has to be pre-booked, as only certain days in the week are available. If you are interested in this activity, please download a copy of the booking form at the bottom of this page. Please remember at least half of the fee will be used to support an animal conservation program, here or abroad!

Through our “Keeper for a Day” scheme we can offer you a unique opportunity to experience a day in the life of a zoo keeper, but be warned, you will be expected to join in the “cleaning”!

Two options are available, either the full day or half day, both beginning at 10.00am once the zoo opens. The half day finishes at 1.00pm and the full day at 4.00 pm, giving you the rest of the day to enjoy the zoo.

The cost of this “special” experience to be a keeper for the day is only £140 for the full day or £85 for the half day. The half day experience is only available to children between the ages of 8-14 inclusive. Why not surprise someone with this unusual present or just treat yourself? This includes admission to the zoo for the “keeper for a day”, free admission to the zoo only for a guest , a meal for two, drinks, certificate of participation and a zoo t-shirt.

Typically, your day will be spent like this:

Morning
. Be met and introduced to the keepers at reception
. Clean and feed routine
. Meet the meerkats
. Alpaca grooming
. Madagascar bugs & things

Midday
. Wallaby handling
. Get introduced to the Zoo’s educational contact animals
. Lunch

Afternoon
. Spend quality time with the lemurs and provide their afternoon feed
. Enrichment activities with some of the zoos animals
. Manicure”, feed and clean the tortoises
. Penguin feeding
. Tour of any zoo babies
. End of day presentations

Activities may be subject to change on the day due to welfare or operational factors.

Regrettably the Keeper for a Day experience is not available to children under 8 years of age.

Click here to complete our online booking form
Please see some of the comments we have had back from previous "Keeper for a Day" clients who have joined us for the experience.

Hi - Just wanted to thank you for the KFAD my wife participated in last Wednesday. She thoroughly enjoyed her day and we were all well looked after by the staff and in particular the keepers who were brilliant. We also appreciate the work that you do with the animals and expanding the knowledge of visitors regarding the lesser known and endangered species.

Many many thanks.

Chris, Claire and Zoe Hollebon, Cirencester.

Hi, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Olli and everyone at the zoo for making my Zoo Keeper For A Day experience so amazing! I had the most wonderful day! Both my partner Richard and I were very impressed. I will definitely be recommending it to everyone.

Hopefully we'll be back next year!!

Many, many thanks again,

Liz Price

Hi

We would just like to thank the zoo for the experience that Cameron had last week. He had an absolute ball and really enjoyed his experience with Gemma. He is even more determined to be a zookeeper now.

It is a wonderful programme that you have.

Thanks again

The Wyllie Family