Behind the Scenes: How Does the Zoo Feed All the Animals?

LITTLE ROCK (March 6, 2025) - The moment you step into the feed room at the Little Rock Zoo, you’re met with a smell that’s hard to describe but instantly recognizable—a mix of earthy grains, sweetened pellets, and the faint tang of vitamins. It’s the warm, slightly dusty scent you’d find in a feed store, filling the air with the promise of nourishment. The tall shelves lining the warehouse-like walls stretch toward the ceiling, stacked with neatly labeled bags of animal feed.

To the right is a short hallway, the walls are lined with more shelves filled with buckets of various sizes. Just past the shelves is a small kitchen where a lone keeper works, chopping and measuring out portions of produce. This is no ordinary kitchen— this kitchen is a cornerstone of the zoo’s animal care system, where each careful chop, scoop, and portion helps ensure the animals receive the nutrition they need.

The Commissary: A Behind-the-Scenes Powerhouse

As the epicenter of the zoo’s nutrition efforts, the commissary is where those carefully crafted meals come to life. This space is a hub of activity, where a small but skilled team works in sync to meet the unique needs of the zoo’s diverse animal residents. The food prepared here follows strict guidelines set by the USDA, FDA, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), ensuring that only human-grade ingredients are used. If it’s not good enough for people, it’s not good enough for our animals.

The work of the commissary team extends far beyond meal preparation. Commissary keepers collaborate closely with animal care staff, using their feedback to adjust diets and ensure each animal’s nutritional needs are met. Keepers provide invaluable insights into the animals’ health, tracking signs like fecal output, which can indicate changes that might require a veterinary checkup. Through this partnership, the entire team can work together to ensure the health of all the zoo’s animal residents.

Balancing Science and Preferences

Designing animal diets is both an art and a science. Each meal is tailored to factors like an animal’s species, natural history, age, sex, body condition, and weight. These diets are guided by expert recommendations from the AZA, Nutrition Research Council (NRC), and peer-reviewed studies, with the help of advanced dietary formulation software.

But science doesn’t always account for individual preferences. Animals, like people, have likes and dislikes, so the nutrition team must strike a balance between what’s nutritious and what’s appetizing.

Attention to Detail

From precise measurements of vegetables, pellets, and insects to exact portions of meat or grains, preparing animal diets is a job that demands care and accuracy. Every ingredient is carefully weighed, scheduled, and inspected to ensure freshness and safety. Collaboration between the commissary team, veterinarians, and keepers ensures that meals meet each animal’s specific requirements.

Why It Matters

Nutrition is fundamental to every aspect of an animal’s life, influencing growth, health, reproduction, and even behavior. The Little Rock Zoo’s commitment to providing carefully crafted diets supports the well-being of its residents and sets a high standard in animal care.

See the Impact for Yourself

Want to witness the results of this dedication? Visit the Little Rock Zoo and meet the animals benefiting from these thoughtfully prepared meals. Whether it’s a gorilla savoring leafy greens or a lizard eating insects, every bite reflects the care, science, and teamwork that go into feeding the zoo’s incredible residents.