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Here at the Zoo, our staff works hard to make sure the animals eat well. Our goal is to keep all of the Zoo animals healthy and fit!
To formulate an appropriate diet, first the nutritional needs of each animal are determined. It’s important to determine how much protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals each animal needs, and which foods best provide these nutrients. Then the Curator, Head Keeper, Keepers and the Veterinary staff all work together to formulate a diet that will ensure our animals are eating healthy.
The keepers then take those diet recommendations and become personal chefs, preparing meals for individual animals!
Eating by the Ton
Here are a few items on the Zoo’s annual grocery list, that are fed to
the animals to keep them healthy and well nourished:
15 tons of Fruits and Vegetables
30 tons of Fish
15 tons of Meat
60 tons of Hay
60 tons of Grain
Will Work For Food!
There are a number of favorite food items that the keepers use during training sessions with the animals. They also use certain food items as special treats for enrichment. If you are interested in donating some of those items to the zoo for the animals, here’s a list to choose from!
Peanut Butter
Jelly (100% fruit)
Applesauce
Jello (Any flavor)
Honey
Syrups (Maple, Vanilla, Coffee, Strawberry, etc)
Dried Fruits (Cranberries, Apples, Apricots, Raisins etc)
Nuts (not salted)
Tuna
Cat Nip
Raw Hide Chews
Pig ears
Dog Bones
Extracts (Vanilla, Peppermint, Orange, etc.)
Spices
Fruit Juice (100 % fruit)
Berries (Frozen Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Etc.)
*** Please note*** In order to be accepted, items must be in their original sealed package. Please visit our wishlist page for more information on donating items.
