Thinking about booking a Close Encounter at the National Zoo and Aquarium? Here’s how you know the animals are happy to be there. Photo: National Zoo and Aquarium.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear a rhino huff up close, look a giraffe in the eye, or feel a cheetah purr under your hand?
Getting one-on-one time with the world’s most iconic animals is a real treat – and Canberrans have the unique opportunity to do just that at their local zoo.
A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make sure animals are safe and comfortable around strangers at the National Zoo and Aquarium.
Each animal spends hours upon hours conditioning with their keepers, long before interacting with guests through the zoo’s Close Encounters program.
Passionate keeper Kayla Bennett works mostly with primates and native Australian animals. She’s also the head of the National Zoo and Aquarium’s in-house training committee.
“The whole idea around these interactions is that each animal actively wants to participate,” Kayla says.
“Close Encounters are a great opportunity to create a sense of wonder, highlight unique behaviours or traits, and teach our guests about conservation.
“But new often equals scary, so these animals rely on us to look after them. Trust is everything.”
Before she even thinks about introducing them to visitors, Kayla’s furry charges need to have full confidence she won’t put them in harm’s way and advocate for their comfort or safety if need be.
Understandably, conditioning a monkey, rhino or cheetah looks very different to training the family dog.
Every move needs to be tailored not only to the species, but to the individual. One mistake could mean losing hours of progress.
“Not every animal is going to enjoy meeting strangers or being fussed over, and that’s okay,” Kayla says.
“The zoo has a strict animals-first policy to make sure its residents are never pushed past their comfort zone with guest encounters if they aren’t suited.
“But our residents still need training for things like vet visits and to ensure our keepers can move in and out of their areas safely.”
Kayla and the other keepers always set resident animals up for success. Training happens in short sessions, in a calm, neutral environment with lots of high-value rewards.
Conditioning begins by establishing trust with a single keeper. Once the bond is strong, the keeper can introduce other members of the team such as vets.
Members of the zoo’s full-time vet team spend plenty of time with animals outside of procedures and health visits, so patients see them as just another “keeper”.
“This way the animals get to know them as someone friendly and trustworthy, not a scary creature who’s going to give them a needle every time they’re around,” zoo director Paul Whitehorn says.
“They also wear keeper greens during visits because our animals associate those uniforms with food and fun.
“So, there are a lot of small details that go into creating strong, positive relationships between our animals and the various teams throughout the zoo.”
If an animal shows interest in guest interactions, they may be introduced to the National Zoo and Aquarium’s Close Encounters program.
Guests can feed lions, tigers and hyenas a meaty treat, set up enrichment for sun bears, meet a lemur family, watch otters run an agility course, and even interact with a “gang” of meerkats.
Along the way, they’ll learn key conservation statistics and species facts about each animal.
Revenue from these activities is funnelled straight back into animal conservation and welfare.
“Over the last three years, close encounters and tours have helped us donate more than $1 million to conservation groups, charities and welfare organisations, both nationally and internationally,” Paul says.
“You can see them on TV or in photos, but being able to get up close and smell, feel, hear and connect with these animals really drives home just how special they are.
“The more people know and love about them, the more their species will be protected around the world. And that is what it’s all about, right?”
For more information or to book an animal encounter, visit National Zoo & Aquarium Canberra.
