Did you know that in addition to a more traditional zoo touring experience, Oglebay Good Zoo in West Virginia offers animal encounters? That's right, you can join a zookeeper inside the habitat of an animal of your choice, helping to feed and train these amazing creatures!
The Oglebay Good Zoo in Wheeling is a relatively small zoo, but whatever it may lack in size, it makes up for in love for animals and passion for connecting animals and people.
This red panda is taking a little rest.
As part of the zoo's interactive focus, Oglebay Good Zoo offers patrons the opportunity to get up close and personal with many of their animals, including sloths, lemurs, cheetahs, bobcats, reindeer, red pandas, kangaroos, snow leopards, wallabies, servals, meerkats, and more.
Two-toed sloths enjoy a little something to munch.
For prices ranging from around $70 to around $250 for two people, you can enter the animal of your choice's enclosure along with a zookeeper and assist with feeding and training.
This price includes admission to the zoo, and additional people can be added to your original group of two for a fraction of the initial cost.
These 30- to 45-minute encounters offer not only a once in a lifetime opportunity for you...
The reindeer encounter is an absolutely magical experience for children, especially around Christmas time.
...but they are also extremely beneficial for the animals, who need the stimulation that the interactions provide for their own enrichment.
This ring-tailed lemur won't turn down a snack!
Since admission to the rest of the zoo is included in the price, plan to stay awhile before or after your animal encounter.
The great kangaroo debate: food or shade?
And of course, even if actually interacting with these beautiful creatures isn't on your bucket list, you can still come for the day to see these magnificent animals (and many others) from the other side of the fence.
These cheetahs are alert and interested in their surroundings.
For more information about the Oglebay Good Zoo in West Virginia in general or these amazing animal encounters in particular, visit their website. Which animal would you choose to visit if you could? Here is another zoo in West Virginia you can visit for animal encounters.
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