John Ball Zoo will close at the end of November for the season, but there's still a chance for animal lovers to see- and even help train- some of the animals there.
"The animals are still here. We're still providing that care for them, and there's still opportunities for you to come to the zoo and see the animals. So, we have a variety of programs that we offer that you can check out," explained Nick Milbratz, John Ball Zoo Guest Programs Assistant Manager. "We want to keep the community connected, to see what it takes to provide excellent care for these animals, to help these animals remain ambassadors for their species."
Close encounters are available to book, including a penguin meet-and-greet, feeding a sloth, or helping to train Wyatt, the zoo's red panda.
New this year, there's also a close encounter that allows you to tour the pygmy hippo habitat and feed them a treat.
FOX 17 had the chance to participate in some of these experiences, including meeting the zoo's sloth, Twig, and Cusco or Durango, two white-nosed coatis used as ambassador animals in close encounters.
You can see the coatis take part in a training session and learn more about their habits.
"See the animal training in action, get to know the animal caretakers and see that really close personal interaction with our coatis," said Erin Moloney, Curator of Behavioral Husbandry at John Ball Zoo. "We got Cusco and Durango our coati last January, and we've been working with them ever since. Coatis are a ton of fun to work with. They're incredibly intelligent, very inquisitive and curious. They are kind of like extra long raccoons."
Special guided tours are also available during the winter, allowing visitors to see and interact with the animals.
John Ball Zoo's last day of the 2024 season is November 24.
To learn more about the zoo's offerings during the off-season, click here.
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