Nutrition

Preparing high-quality, individualized diets for hundreds of animals representing more than 200 species.

Nutrition Team

The Nutrition Team is responsible for the nutrition breakdown, diet acquisition, and preparation of diets for all animals at Zoo Atlanta. The Bamboo Team harvests bamboo from around the Atlanta area and is a part of the Nutrition Team. Additionally, a Browse Team collects browse (fresh materials such as tree branches or leaves) for many of the animals that consume vegetation.

Our Animal Nutrition Team prepares all diets 24 hours in advance. All produce is fresh and purchased three times a week. Carnivore diets include a variety of commercially prepared meat products. Live crickets, mealworms, and fish are dietary items for some species and are offered as enrichment to other species.

Bamboo Team members evaluate sites with bamboo growing in private and commercial locations and harvest bamboo five days a week. All bamboo is cut by hand, rinsed off, and bundled on a tarp to ensure no contamination. 

Browse Team members identify tree species to ensure they are not toxic. Large branches and limbs are provided to elephants, primates, goats, and sheep. We have partnerships with electric companies and other partners that communicate with our Browse Team so they can collect the trimmed branches. Additionally, they collect from park restoration efforts as they remove invasive species. During the growing part of the year, browse is frozen for use through the winter. When needed, browse is even shipped.