ZooParc offers visitors special opportunity: become an animal caretaker for a day

Overloon, April 18, 2024 - Always wanted to know what goes into taking care of the animals in a zoo? Ever wanted to feed a sloth or lion yourself? Starting in May this is possible in ZooParc Overloon: from then on the park offers visitors the chance to step into the shoes of a zookeeper themselves for half a day.

During "Keeper for a day," participants walk with a zookeeper for half a day and help with the daily tasks involved in animal care, from cleaning the stables, to making enrichment materials and preparing food for lemurs, pygmy monkeys, sloths, giraffes, anteaters, pygmy hippos and lions, for example.

This activity stems from a frequently asked question in the park, says Roel Huibers, general manager of ZooParc: "We regularly get requests from visitors if they can walk with a zookeeper. That appeals enormously to the imagination - and of course we understand that very well, because it is also fantastic."

First in the Netherlands
According to Huibers, this is an opportunity that rarely comes along in the Netherlands. "Abroad there are already parks that offer this opportunity, and those places are often fully booked months in advance. In the Netherlands, enthusiasts can get guided tours of the stables at a number of places, and sometimes there are activities where you can help make, for example, fruit pies for animals, but really literally standing with your feet in the manure or actually feeding animals, that is almost never possible in the Netherlands. So we expect that we can fulfill a lot of dreams with this activity."

This is an exclusive opportunity: the activity is offered only on Wednesdays and Fridays, from May through October. A maximum of two participants can participate per half-day session. It is possible for anyone 15 years and older, provided they are fit enough to walk a lot and can actually perform certain tasks themselves.

Good cause
In addition to providing a fantastic experience, participants also contribute to the protection of endangered species and their habitats: in fact, 10 percent of the participation fee of 195 euros per person, is donated to Stichting Wildlife, an organization dedicated to the conservation of species and their habitats at home and abroad. "How cool is that: you yourself have the day of your life and meanwhile you contribute to species conservation. I think it's win-win for everyone," Huibers said.

More information and signing up for "Keeper for a day," for yourself or as a gift to someone else, can be donehere.

Want to read more? And always stay up to date with the latest animal news and updates from now on? Then subscribehere sign up for the ZooParc newsletter.