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With the Keeper for the Day scheme you will have the amazing opportunity to spend a day behind the scenes with Colchester Zoo’s keepers finding out more about the species they look after, helping with some of the feeding and even the cleaning out!
Your package includes a day ticket for Colchester Zoo, a voucher for coffee, lunch and a souvenir pack and costs £175.00 (inc VAT). The scheme is open to anyone 15 years and over, with access to the zoo from 9.30am when the zoo opens. Your first session begins at 11am, includes an hour for your lunch at Cafe UmPhafa between 1.30 and 2.30 pm and will generally finish around 4pm.
You just need to choose which scheme you prefer!
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Scheme A
Birds of Prey
Your chance to enter the wonderful world of birds of prey. Go behind the scenes into the African aviaries where you will be inside the enclosure alongside Vultures, Kites and Hornbills. Handle a variety of birds including owls, falcons and hawks. This amazing experience will culminate in you flying one of the birds yourself!
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Reptiles
During this exciting encounter, you will get to meet a variety of the amazing reptiles cared for by the reptile team. Go into the enclosure with our green iguana, get up close with the giant tortoises as you feed them their breakfast and to top it all off you will have to opportunity to hold a snake! You will also be introduced to the anaconda, the rhino iguana and all of the new arrivals in the incubation room. (No immediate contact)
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Elephants
The opportunity of a lifetime to go inside the elephant house at “Spirit of Africa”! Our elephants are highly intelligent, bursting with character and each have unique personalities. This is your chance to find out about each one of them individually. The highlight will be your own private feeding session in an area normally out of bounds to visitors! (Please note that no other physical contact is possible)
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Scheme B
Carnivores
Experience a meeting with Sasha the white tiger you’ll never forget, stand just inches away and find out all about the secret life of this naturally solitary cat; listen carefully and you may be able to hear his low, rumbling greeting call as he wanders over to say hello. The elusive Geoffroy’s cat won’t stay hidden for long when you go into his enclosure to give him his lunch. Help to keep the fennec fox mentally and physically stimulated and put your creativity to test by making them some enrichment items to play with.
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Small Mammals
Take a trip to “Suricata Sands” to meet the mob. Our mob of Meerkats that is. Our family group will be eager to meet you when you enter their enclosure to feed them and clean them out! Then it’s off to their close relative, the banded mongoose. They’re well known for getting up to mischief and are likely to make light work of even the most complicated enrichment, particularly when their favourite food is involved! So the challenge is on to join the keeper in making them a special treat to keep them busy. From the 1st March a trip to Lemur Island will also be included in this section to hand feed the lemurs. This special treat will undoubtedly make your day, before you head off for a special backstage encounter with our troop of Gelada Baboons.
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Giraffes
A superb opportunity to go behind the scenes at Kingdom of the Wild. You will meet and privately feed the giraffes. Find out what it takes to look after the rhino and the pygmy hippo before heading off to feed the red river hogs’ ever expanding family. You will be in time to help make sure everything is in place for a comfortable night; there will be food to prepare, beds to lay and doors to check and secure. But whilst the paddock animals are bedding down for the night, a strange creature is awakening, and they’ll be hungry! You’ll head round to the Aardvark Burrow where you will go inside to feed this very inquisitive, playful and friendly creature. There’s no way to explain what an aardvark feels like, so you’ll just have to find out yourself!
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Scheme C
Sealions and Penguins
At “Playa Patagonia”, there’s always so much to be done! There’s the fish to prepare, the cleaning to be done and the complicated filtration system to maintain so that the water is crystal clear for our Patagonian Sealions to play in all day long. But don’t just take our word for it. You’ll meet the Sealions face to face, find out about their unique character and comical inquisitive nature. You’ll then head down to “Penguin Shores” for your own private feeding session behind the scenes.
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Primates
With such an amazing array of primates to care for, you will learn what’s involved in becoming a primate keeper! Find out how we clean, feed and train a variety of primates at Colchester Zoo and how we enrich their lives. Go behind the scenes at “Orangutan Forest” for an unforgettable meeting with our Orangutans. Head along to Chimp World where the chimps are eager for their lunch. Not forgetting the unusual and playful L’Hoest monkeys and the agile Spider monkeys which may need cleaning and feeding.
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Edge of Africa
Such a diverse group of animals means you get to see an unbelievable mix of characters, from the Mandrill monkeys which love to participate in training sessions with their keepers to the highly sociable hyena. At this time of day all the animals whether it’s the cheetah or the warthog are looking forward to their dinner. Help the keepers feed and train, create enrichment and prepare the sleeping quarters for this amazing mix of African animals.
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I’d like to book a date now – Fill out an application form
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Would you like to give a Keeper for the Day voucher as a gift and let the recipient decide which scheme they would like to participate in and when – click here to purchase a gift voucher!
If you are looking to redeem your voucher, please contact Guest Services on 01206 331292 Ext 227 with your voucher number to hand and the name of the purchaser of your voucher. Guest Services will then check date availability and be able to book in your experience date. |
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Please note the following points:
Terms and conditions of booking Keeper for the Day and Keeper Shadowing.
* Keeper for the day is available to persons 15 years and over and Keeper shadowing to persons 12 years and over.
* Bookings are available on any day between Wednesday and Sunday. Do please book well in advance (3 months is advisable) and have a second choice of date available just in case. You will receive a standard acknowledgement of your order but the date of your booking is not confirmed until you receive your confirmation pack.
* Bookings must be made within one year of the date on your letter of confirmation.
* Please do wear clothing suitable for working with the animals and for all weathers and walking boots or Wellingtons.
* A £20 fee will be charged for alterations made more than 14 days before the date booked or for the cancellation of the booking at any stage.
* Refunds can only be made to the purchaser.
* It may be necessary to share some activities with another Keeper for the Day. Keeper Shadowing is an exclusive experience for one person.
* Accompanying guests must pay to enter the Zoo. The experience is for the recipient only.
* Whilst lunch is reserved for the Keeper for the day, it is not possible to reserve lunch for accompanying guests and they should be advised that they might need to queue for food at busy times.
* The timetable for Keeper for the Day has been devised in order to allow as much time as possible with the keepers whilst not detracting from the running of the Zoo. It is not, therefore, possible to change any of the activities that are on offer.
* If circumstances dictate, such as bad weather or a particular animal being unwell, it may be necessary to change your activities without notice. We will always do our best to offer an alternative.
* Colchester Zoo reserves the right to close all or parts of the Zoo as necessary. Refunds cannot be given in these circumstances.
* A reasonable level of fitness is required to take part in the standard programme.
* Please advise before booking if an experience needs to be varied to accommodate a disability.
* Keeper for the day and Keeper Shadowing are not available to women who are pregnant
* The data you supply will only be used for the purpose intended and not passed to any third parties.
* Experiences are not suitable for those allergic to dust or animal fur or bedding.
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Colchester Zoo, Maldon Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0SL,
Telephone 01206 331292, Fax 01206 331392
Email: admin@colchester-zoo.co.uk
www.colchester-zoo.co.uk |
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