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Keeper
For a Day
 

Ever Wonder What It’s Like to Be a Zoo Keeper?

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and step behind the scenes at your Toronto Zoo. Keeper for a Day is a rare hands-on experience that puts you right in the boots of our Wildlife Care team. You’ll work alongside a real keeper to help prepare food, care for animals, and learn what it takes to support conservation and research programs while protecting wildlife every single day.

Whether you're dreaming of a future in animal care or just looking for an unforgettable adventure, this experience is full of real work, real learning — and a little bit of smell!

Think you know what a keeper does? Now’s your chance to find out.

Registration Fee

(ages 16 years & up):

Half Day Rate (4 Hrs)
$300 for zoo members
$325 for non-members

Keeper for a Day
Program Options

Important Note:
Participation in the Keeper for a Day program does not guarantee interaction with specific animal species. While we strive to accommodate preferences, assignments are subject to change based on animal care needs and operational considerations.


  • African Rainforest Pavilion
  • Gorilla, Dwarf crocodiles, Malawi cichlids, Pygmy hippos, Red river hogs, Warthogs, Birds, Ring-tailed lemurs, Aldabra tortoises

    Africa Pavilion is one of our larger indoor areas where you will spend the majority of your time inside. This area is a uniquly engineered building that incorporates some unique environmental experiences and is temperature controlled for the African animals that call this home. This area is where you will learn more about the care and needs of our western lowland gorillas, and where you can learn more about ring-tailed lemurs, the elusive pygmy hippos, and some larger reptiles like our Aldabra tortoises!

  • Americas
  • Flamingos, Sloth, Spider monkeys, Macaws, Alligator, Black-footed ferret, River otter, owls, Snakes, Saki

    Visit a pavilion that holds species that range from all over North America to South America, including multiple varieties of mammals, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians. You can see a little of everything in this pavilion!

  • Australasia
  • Amur tigers, Birds, Kangaroos, Wallaby, Marine fish, Reptiles, Wombat, Echidna

    Come down under and see some of these interesting animals that live in geographical ranges in Australia and Asia. Learn more about the daily care of more elusive animals such as the wombats and echidna, as well as some unique reptile and birds species, as you will be working both inside and outside.

  • Canadian Domain
  • Polar bears, Wolves, Caribou, Bald Eagle, Wood Bison, Grizzly bear, Cougars, Raccoons

    Come meet and shadow some of our keepers that work with our iconic Canadian species! This is a day spent mostly outside within our Rouge National Park at your Toronto Zoo, seeing our holistic approach to how we care for some of these large animals! This includes primarily mammals from North American forests, like cougars, grizzly bears, and wood bison, all the way to the tundra/arctic, like arctic wolves, caribou, and polar bears!

  • Eurasia Wilds
  • Camels, Snow leopards, Yaks, Mouflon, Red pandas, Prezwalski horses

    Eurasia Wilds has some of the largest paddock space and lots of care goes into our hoofstock in this area. A large area that encompasses primarily working outside, learning more about how we care for species like the adorable red pandas and our camels!

  • Indo-Malaya (indoor / outdoor areas)
  • Orangutan, One-horned rhino, Babirusa, Gibbon, Sumatran tigers, Reptiles, Hornbills, Clouded Leopard, Peafowl

    One of our largest pavilions that holds a lot of different animals! Learn about the holisitic care of complex animals like our orangutans, large carnivores like our Sumatran tigers, while also seeing what it takes to care for large hoofstock like the greater one-horned rhino! This area is both inside and outside, so you will experience a mixture of temperatures.

  • Tundra Trek
  • Polar bears, Wolves, Caribou, Bald Eagle, Wood Bison, Grizzly bear, Cougars, Raccoons

    Come meet and shadow some of our keepers that work with our iconic Canadian species! This is a day spent mostly outside within our Rouge National Park at your Toronto Zoo, seeing our holistic approach to how we care for some of these large animals! This includes primarily mammals from North American forests, like cougars, grizzly bears, and wood bison, all the way to the tundra/arctic, like arctic wolves, caribou, and polar bears!

  • Africa Inner Savanna
  • Sorry This Area is Currently Unavailable
    Please check back soon for availability.

    White rhinos, Eland, Penguins, Zebra, Kudu, Warthogs, Watusi, Hornbills, Vulture

    We have two outside areas that are split to take care of our African Savannah animals. Inner savannah includes a lot of our larger hoofstock, including white rhinos, zebras, eland, kudu and watusi! You will be working primarily outside and learning more about the care and needs of some of these larger African animals!

  • Africa Outer Savanna
  • Sorry This Area is Currently Unavailable
    Please check back soon for availability.

    Giraffe, River hippos, Cheetahs, Lions, Hyenas, Ostrich

    We have two outside areas that are split to take care of our African Savannah animals. Outside savannah includes a variety of both hoofstock and carnivores. Come and see our giraffes up close and learn about the care they need from hoofwork to training, and the associated height challenges of working with them. Learn about some of the larger carnivores, like lions, hyenas, and cheetahs, and their importance on the savannah.

  • Outreach and Discovery (animal shows / Kids Zoo)
  • Details Coming Soon
    Please inquire.

Please note during the colder months, guests may be placed in an indoor pavilion instead of outdoor areas to avoid the cold.

To register for the Keeper for a Day program:

  1. Choose your top 3 areas you would like to experience, in order of preference. Please note that only one area will be selected. Your top choice is not guaranteed and may change without notice.
     
  2. Register on the form below.
     
  3. Payment is by e-transfer only.
     
  4. You will be sent an e-mail confirmation within 2-3 weeks upon receipt of registration. The e-mail confirmation letter will contain detailed information about your Keeper for a Day program at the Toronto Zoo.

For any further questions please e-mail Toronto Zoo Keeper for a Day Coordinators at

[email protected]

 

▽▽▽REGISTER HERE▽▽▽

△△△REGISTER HERE△△△

Need a last-minute gift idea?
Give the gift of zookeeping!

Our Keeper-For-A-Day program offers a unique opportunity to work with your favourite animals alongside our Keepers. Participants will learn about animal conservation, feeding, nutrition, and more.

When you purchase Keeper-For-A-Day, you'll receive a gift certificate. The lucky recipient can then choose their top three preferred areas to work in when they're ready to redeem it.

Purchase a gift certificate by contacting us at [email protected]

The Keeper for a Day Program is run by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Toronto Zoo Chapter, a nonprofit organization consisting of animal care professionals and related persons dedicated to conservation, education, and professional animal care in zoos and aquariums. Our local Toronto Zoo Chapter of AAZK is committed to making a difference by devoting its efforts to wildlife conservation and the professional development of its members while providing the highest standards of animal care.

If you have any questions please send us an email at

[email protected]