Encounters

Each encounter may be based on a feeding time, training session, enrichment activity or simply the chance to hear from our Animal Care Team. So why not attend some of our daily encounters below for a great way to see and find out more about our amazing animals during your visit.

Don’t forget you can use the Colchester Zoo app to get directions to all your favourite animals and the encounters below. Download the app HERE.

Winter Encounter Timetable (from Monday 2nd October 2023 to 28th March 2024)

10:30am Worlds Apart
11:00am Red Panda (River’s Edge)
11:15am Koi Carp (Koi Niwa)
11:30am Humboldt Penguins (Inca Trail)
11:45am Pygmy Hippopotamus (Kingdom of the Wild)
11:45am Komodo Dragon (Dragons of Komodo)
12:00pm Patagonian Sea Lion (Playa Patagonia)
12:15pm Bornean Orangutan (Rajang’s Forest)
12:30pm Eurasian Grey Wolf (Call of the Wild)
12:30pm African Elephant (Outside Paddock)
1:00pm Amur Tiger (Tiger Taiga)
1:00pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
2:00pm Patagonian Sea Lion (Playa Patagonia)
2:30pm Smooth-coated Otter (Otter Creek)
2:30pm Giant Tortoise (Walking Giants)
2:45pm Amur Leopard (Ussuri Falls)
3:00pm Bornean Orangutan (Rajang’s Forest)
3:00pm Edge of Africa (See Board at Mandrill Enclosure)
3:15pm Meerkat (Suricata Sands)
3:15pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
See Board at Enclosure Malayan Sun Bear (Bears of the Rising Sun)

Summer Encounter Timetable (from Friday 29th March 2024)

11:00am Red panda (River’s Edge)
11:30am Humboldt penguin (Inca Trail)
11:30am African animals (Kingdom of the Wild, outside paddock)
11:45am Komodo dragon (Dragons of Komodo)
12:00pm Rainforest encounter (Rainforest Walkthrough)
12:00pm Patagonian sea lion (Playa Patagonia)
12:15pm Bornean orangutan (Rajang’s Forest)
12:30pm Eurasian grey wolf (Call of the Wild)
12:30pm African elephant (Outside Paddock)
12:45pm Mandrills (Edge of Africa)
1:00pm Amur tiger (Tiger Taiga)
1:00pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
2:00pm Patagonian sea lion (Playa Patagonia)
2:30pm Smooth-coated otter (Otter Creek)
2:45pm Giant tortoise (Walking Giants)
3:00pm Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur bridge)
3:00pm Edge of Africa (See Board at Mandrill Enclosure)
3:00pm Vulture species (Vulture Valley)
3:30pm Amur leopard (Ussuri Falls)
3:30pm Meerkat (Suricata Sands)
3:45pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
4:15pm Humboldt penguin (Inca Trail)
See Board at Enclosure Malayan Sun Bear (Bears of the Rising Sun)

Summer Training Timetable (from Friday 29th March 2024)

Monday1:00pm Amur tiger (Tiger Taiga)
Tuesday1:00pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
Wednesday 12:00pm Malayan Sun Bear (Bears of the Rising Sun)
Thursday3:00pm Farm species (Familiar Friends)
Friday1:00pm Chimpanzee (Chimpanzee Lookout)
Saturday3:00pm Patagonian sea lion (Playa Patagonia)
Sunday 11:15am Farm species (Familiar Friends)

*Please note that it will not be possible to attend all our animal encounters in a single visit to Colchester Zoo.

Newsletter Signup

Sign up to our newsletter for all the latest deals, news and more!

Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Top