Private Access
Behind-the-scenes experiences are not included with Keeper Level memberships and may be temporarily suspended based on Zoo Knoxville Covid-19 protocols and any other community health and safety issues.
Get A Closer Look With Our Behind-The-Scenes Encounters
Tier 1 Experiences
See multiple birds and watch how they train for shows. You might get to see them paint, too!
Get a tour of the space where checkups and minor animal surgeries happen on zoo grounds. Animals currently visiting or residing in the clinic may also be viewable.
Tour the “kitchen” – the lab space for our reptile collection. See some of the rarest animals at our zoo – and on the planet. Most of the animals seen on this experience are not on exhibit. At any given time, the chelonians in the lab areas may be incubating, hatching or just born.
These two ladies have been at Zoo Knoxville for many years and have had 20 calves between them. Learn all about them as you see them up close.
- African Crested Porcupine
- Budgies
- Diurnal & Nocturnal Birds of Prey
- Hawk Walk
- Seriema Walk
- Wild Encounters
Tier 2 Experiences
Visit the painted dogs that are currently off-exhibit. Participate in an enrichment toss game and enjoy a chat with our keepers.
See behind the scenes and inside the bears’ exhibit. Create enrichment objects with peanut butter, peanuts and raisins. Hide them inside the exhibit, and then exit and watch the bears sniff out their treats when they’re released from their dens.
Go inside with one of our giant tortoises and learn all about him. Big Al is over 500 pounds and over 150 years old! He’s been at Zoo Knoxville since the 1970s, and loves to be petted and have his neck scratched.
Meet our giraffe herd in a private area, see the inside of their barn and feed them some treats!
- Cuban Crocodiles
- Einstein African Grey Parrot
- Sloth