Your chance to meet some of our animals up close and personal!
Capybara Encounter
Have you ever dreamt of meeting a capybara up close? Join our encounter for a close-up unforgettable experience! Join our keeper in the encounter area of the enclosure and learn all about capybara’s in the wild and our capybara, whilst feeding a few tasty treats.
Keeper Note – Our Capybara enjoys a swim and a mud wallow, be prepared to get wet or muddy! Please wear shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Duration: between 10 – 20 minutes maximum
Times: 11.30am and 3pm
Number of people per encounter: maximum of 4 persons
Price: £45 per person – zoo admission is not included and must be purchased separately
Age restrictions: to participate in the encounter, you must be aged 8 years or above
Please be aware
1. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes, no open toed shoes are allowed.
2. We recommend wearing shoes and trousers you do not mind getting wet/dirty.
3. This encounter takes place outside, therefore come dressed for the weather.
4. Once an encounter is booked it is non-refundable and non-transferrable, therefore please check your date before completing a booking.
5. All participants must be of the minimum age or above to complete the encounter. If they are not, they will not be able to complete the encounter and no refund will be given.
6. The welfare of our animals is paramount to us, and it is a privilege to be able to get up close to these species – we will not force our animals to participate in any encounter, and any interaction is on their terms.
Giant Anteater Encounter
You will meet and feed Diego our Giant Anteater some of his favourite treats and his lunch from the safety of our designated encounter area with our keeper whilst learning more about his unusual and unique feeding and survival adaptions.
Keeper Note – although Diego is lovely, he has a very unique way of feeding, be prepared to get a bit messy!
Duration: approximately 15 minutes
Time: 11.30am
Maximum of 2 people.
Price: £35 per person (zoo admission is not included for the participant)
Age restrictions: the participant must be 10 years or above
Please be aware
1. This encounter has seasonal availability from April through to October.
2. This encounter takes outside, so please dress for the weather!
3. We recommend wearing shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
4. Once a booking has been made it is non-refundable and non-transferrable, therefore please check your date before completing a booking.
5. Participants must be of the minimum age or above to complete the encounter. If they are not they will not be able to complete the encounter and no refund will be given.
6. The welfare of our animals is paramount to us, and it is a privilege to be able to get up close to these species – we will not force our animals to participate in any encounter, and any interaction is on their terms.
Sloth Encounter
Are you crazy about sloths? In our sloth encounter you have the chance to meet our sloth up close-up and feed him a few tasty treats. Another unforgettable experience!
Keeper Note – Sloths are the slowest moving mammal on the planet, so don’t expect anything to happen fast with Santiago, it’s all in his own time!
Duration: approximately 15 minutes
Time: 2.30pm
Number of people per encounter: maximum of 2
Price: £65 per person (zoo admission is not included for the participant)
Age restrictions: the participant must be 8 years above
Please be aware
1. Patience is required, sloths really are a very slow-moving animal and may take time to come down and meet you.
2. You must remain calm during the encounter with no sudden movements or loud noises.
3. Only the paid encounter participant(s) are allowed to enter the sloth enclosure with the keeper.
4. Once booked it is non-refundable and non-transferrable, therefore please check your date before completing a booking.
5. Participants must be of the minimum age or above to complete the encounter. If they are not they will not be able to complete the encounter and no refund will be given.
6. The welfare of our animals is paramount to us, and it is a privilege to be able to get up close to these species – we will not force our animals to participate in any encounter, and any interaction is on their terms.
What you need to know before you book
Zoo admission is NOT included in the price of the encounter ticket for the participant and therefore must be be purchased separately. Zoo admission must also be purchased for any other visitors/spectators. Zoo admission tickets can be purchased online here or paid for upon arrival.
Once a booking is made they are non-refundable and non-transferrable this includes online purchases and bookings made with a Wild Discovery Gift Voucher. Therefore please check your chosen date before completing any booking/purchase.
The encounter can only by completed by people of the minimum age or above. If a person is booked for an encounter that is not above the minimum age they will not be allowed to complete the encounter, and no refund will be given.
Anyone completing the encounter that is under the age of 18, must be accompanied by a responsible adult (18 years +). This responsible adult must be present when completing the health & safety form. The responsible adult(s) are not permitted to enter/participate in the encounter, they can spectate from the public viewing area. The responsible adult will need to purchase the normal zoo admission day ticket. To book admission day tickets click here.
If you have any allergies, phobias, visual/hearing/mobility impairments, and/or any physical or medical conditions you must contact us before booking to make sure that we can provide you with a safe and enjoyable experience. Upon arrival you will be asked to complete a Health & Safety Declaration form before your encounter. The encounters are not suitable for pregnant persons. Please contact Wild Discovery if you are a wheelchair user and/or require a carer to be present before making a booking to ensure that we can provide a safe and enjoyable experience. If you arrive for an encounter without declaring any of the above and we can not provide you with a safe and enjoyable encounter no refund will be issued.
Please read the full terms and conditions before booking, click here.
How to book
To view our animal experience calendar and book please click here.
You can purchase a gift vouchers for these animal encounters, please click here for more information.