If you’ve ever wanted first-hand confirmation that, yes, giraffe tongues really are black, the L.A. Zoo is giving you a special opportunity to do just that. As part of their 50th anniversary celebations, the Griffith Park zoo is allowing visitors to hand-feed their herd of friendly Masai giraffes.
The six giraffes, including the baby calf just born in November, will welcome guests for some up-close face time and use their lengthy necks (and those 14-inch tongues) to nab leafy treats right from your hand, during supervised feeding sessions with zoo staff, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The snack sessions take place daily at 11am and 2:30pm and are open to kids and adults. Participating in the feeding costs an additional $5 on top of standard zoo admission, but that is probably a pretty reasonable price to pay for getting to interact with and touch one of the largest, most iconic land mammals. Tickets can be purchased at the giraffe exhibit when the feeding times roll around.
If you happen to be more into hippos, the L.A. Zoo is also offering a special hippo encounter session available for small groups on select dates for $20 that allows for an intimate look at a mother and pup pair, Mara and Rosie, in their aquatic enclosure.
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, open daily from 10am to 5pm. Giraffe feedings are available at 11am and 2:30pm daily, with $5 tickets available for purchase on site.
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