The 25-acre Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo provides a spacious modern haven for our beloved animals and includes theme-park family entertainment, unique, fun-filled animal adventures, interactive animal shows, and a giraffe feeding station.

Beginning November 1, 2024, through February 2025, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is offering exclusive

premium experiences on select days. The experiences include the following:

Junior Zookeeper for a Day

Children ages 10-16 will shadow and work alongside zookeepers behind the scenes and get a

hands-on course in Zoo Keeping 101. The junior zookeeper will spend a half day experiencing

how to make enrichment, participating in training sessions, preparing animal food, caring for the

animals in the contact barn and much more.

Big Cat Premium Experience

A 45-minute experience behind the scenes with the carnivore department. Guests (up to 4 people,

age 10 and over) will watch a training session with our large cats, provide treats, help prepare

diets and learn more about the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo lions, lynx, serval, and clouded

leopards. The Big Cat Experience does not allow hands-on contact with any cat. A protective

barrier fence will be between guests and the animals at all times.

Giraffe Premium Experience

A 45-minute experience behind the scenes with Giraffes Benjamin and Akayla along with their

Ostrich friends Netty, Poppy, and Clover. Guests (up to 4 people, all ages welcome) will watch,

learn, and help feed the giraffe their afternoon diets and explore inside the giraffe barn.

All premium experiences are offered on select weekend dates beginning November 2024 through

February 2025. Each experience must be booked one week in advance. Dates, prices, and more

detailed information about the experiences can be found at www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.org.

“The Winter Premium Experiences provide an exclusive opportunity to learn and connect with

the zoo in a whole new way,” said Joel Hamilton, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Executive Director.

“They make the perfect gift for aspiring zookeepers, big cat lovers, giraffe enthusiasts or anyone

who wants to have a one-of-a-kind exclusive zoo experience.”