Wild Encounter
Guardians of Hippos

Guardians of Hippos

Come meet two of the Zoo's largest residents, Perky and Petal! These girls have quite an appetite and we need your help to feed them! During your visit, you’ll discover the diets and lives of hippos at the Zoo and in the wild, all while tossing snacks into their giant mouths. Learn how you can contribute to their conservation efforts and become a Guardian of Hippos!

Yearly Availability: July-October. Please note the last encounter for the 2025 season will be on October 12th.

Capacity: 6

Experience Length: 30 minutes

Meeting Location: Twiga Market

Directions: The meeting location is approximately a 20-minute walk from the Front Entrance Gates. Upon entering the zoo, turn right and proceed past the Zootique and Goat World into the Core Woods. When you see the Caribou Café and the airplane, take the path to the left towards Africa and the Americas. Follow the boardwalk on your left up to Africa, and at the top, take the path to your left, passing the Africa Restaurant. Continue straight past the Gorilla ropes course, the outdoor Gorilla habitat, and the outdoor Aldabra Tortoise habitat. After these habitats, you will arrive in front of the Multifaith Prayer and Spiritual Space continue up the stairs past the giraffe and warthog habitats to arrive at Twiga Market

Age Recommendation: Recommended for ages 5+ 

Age Restrictions: Children under the age of 2 are not permitted on this encounter.  Participants who do not meet the age requirement will not be permitted to join, and refunds will not be issued 

Rules and Policies

Wild Encounter tickets do not include Zoo admission: Zoo admission must be purchased separately 

Interaction: This encounter involves the opportunity to feed our river hippos. It is up to the animals to choose to participate and we cannot guarantee the duration of time the animals will spend engaging with us. Staff also have the ability to deny feeding, or change the encounter based on the animals’ health, safety, and behavioural needs

Drugs & Alcohol: Impairment due to alcohol or drugs is not permitted before or during your Wild Encounter. Anyone who is drinking or appears to be even slightly intoxicated before the Wild Encounter will be denied participation. Refunds or alternate dates will not be given.

Adult Supervision: Children under the age of 12 years must be accompanied by a paying adult (at least 18 years of age)

Reschedule/Cancellation: By purchasing tickets, you are agreeing to the following refund policy. Exceptions will not be made. The Wild Encounters team requires at least 48 hours’ notice prior to your scheduled encounter to process any refund or rescheduling requests. Failure to attend your encounter at the scheduled date and time will result in forfeiture of your tickets, and refunds will not be issued. Please ensure you arrive at the designated meeting location before your scheduled start time. Late arrivals or guests who are unable to locate the meeting point will not be eligible for refunds. We recommend reviewing your confirmation details carefully and allowing extra time to navigate the Zoo. 

Strollers/Personal Items: Strollers/wagons are not permitted behind-the-scenes.

Accessibility: Wheelchair/ECV inaccessible. Guests with disabilities who require the assistance of a support person are encouraged to email us before making a reservation so we can provide the appropriate support and ensure the best possible Wild Encounter experience. At this time, service animals cannot be accommodated in behind-the-scenes areas. The Access 2 Card is accepted for support persons. 

Fees: A processing fee of $1.00 per ticket will be applied at checkout.

Please contact us at wildencounters@torontozo.com or call us at 289-200-4362 for more information.