animal Presentations
& Keeper Chats
Animal Presentations & Keeper Chats
Presented by
keeper chats
Keeper chats occur throughout the day to provide guests with opportunities to get an even closer look at our animals and the amount of dedication and time that goes into caring for them. Hear directly from zookeeper staff to learn more about these amazing animals!
Want to get an even closer, more personable experience with some of these animals? Consider booking an exclusive Backstage Adventure Tour experience where applicable by clicking the hyperlinks!
- Galapagos Tortoise chats daily at 8:15 a.m.
- Greater flamingo chats daily at 8:30 a.m.
- Alligator chats Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 10 a.m.
- Elephant chats Wednesday at 10 a.m.
- Nyala chat Sunday at 11 a.m.
- Orangutan B.E. chat Sunday at 12 p.m.
- Andean bear chat Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
- Squirrel monkey B.E. chat daily at 12 p.m.
- Farm chat daily at 10 a.m.
Rattlesnake Presentation
At the Doornbos Discovery Amphitheater
Friday-Sunday: 9:00 a.m.
The Phoenix Zoo’s ectotherm team is getting you closer to these slithery friends with a never-been-seen-before presentation, “Rattlesnakes!”
Stars of the presentation include the Gila monster, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Arizona black rattlesnake and more! These species, and more of their scaly friends, can be seen at the presentation and then in their habitats in the Arizona Aviary on the Arizona Trail.
animal presentations: The Zoocademy Awards
Lights. Camera. action!
At the Doornbos Discovery Amphitheater
Daily: 10:30 a.m. & second show Friday – Sunday at 12 p.m.
Have you ever fantasized about walking down the red carpet alongside the stars who attend the Oscars? We can’t promise you’ll make it to Hollywood, so we’re bringing Tinseltown to the Phoenix Zoo with the premiere of the Zoocademy Awards!
Join our Ambassador Animal Resources team and their cast of animal stars who have worked tirelessly over the past year to develop this fun, engaging and educational event.
Many zoos hire outside contractors to produce their animal shows. Here at the Phoenix Zoo, we do all of our show production in-house, utilizing our creative staff to design a dynamic show that is uniquely us.
The Ambassador Animal Resources team is comprised of 12 staff who work cooperatively to brainstorm show themes, write an entertaining script, train engaging animal behaviors, build awards-themed props and sets, film and edit accompanying video, and then merge all of it together to deliver a seamless production.
We have several goals in mind when we develop a new animal show. First and foremost, it’s incredibly important to us that our animals are presented in a way that demonstrates respect for the individual animal and its species, while at the same time ensuring our guests are having so much fun during the show they don’t even realize how much they’ve been learning!
We also strive to have as many animals as possible showcase independent behaviors, meaning they are out on stage “performing” their trained routine without a trainer directing them where to go next.
Additionally, we want to create an immersive experience for the audience, allowing them to make decisions that guide the direction of the show and even have the animals interacting with them.
There’s nothing quite like feeling the air stir above your head as a king vulture flies over, or hear laughs of delight when a hyacinth macaw takes a dollar bill from your hand and drops it into a donation box.
Finally, we design our shows so they are different every day. That means guests can return again and again, getting something new and enjoyable out of their experience each time.
Plan Your Visit Today
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
