Have you ever been face-to-face with a giraffe as its 14-inch tongue slurped a leaf right out of your hand? Well, if not, now you have the chance.
Guests can now hand-feed Masai giraffes at the Los Angeles Zoo as part of an attraction that debuted this month.
The new interactive event, called Giraffe Feedings, is part of the zoo’s yearlong 50th Anniversary “ZooLAbration.”
Giraffe Feedings will now be available at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
Zoo Education Specialists will teach guests about Masai giraffes, which, at 16 to 20 feet, are the tallest land mammal on earth.
“It’s an unforgettable experience that fosters a deeper connection to a species that needs our help,” said Dan Keefe, Curator of Education at the zoo.
Declining Masai giraffe populations in Africa have led them to be classified as “Vulnerable” in December 2016 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The L.A. Zoo is accredited by the non-profit Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Institutions accredited by the AZA help fund field conservation efforts to protect threatened animal species, and, according to the L.A. Zoo, “are uniquely positioned to provide information and insights on reproductive biology, behavior, nutrition, animal health and genetics that are invaluable to these efforts.”
General admission to the L.A. Zoo is $20; senior admission is $17 and child admission is $15.
A general admission ticket gives guests access to the zoo’s collection of 1,100 animals from 250 species and its botanical gardens, which feature around 7,000 plants from 800 different species.
Admission to the Giraffe Feedings at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. are an additional $5 cash payment per person shortly before start times.