Get Up Close and Personal With a Pygmy Hippo at the Wild Animal Park in Chittenango

The Wild Animal Park is well known for bringing animals up close and personal with park visitors. This year, they offered a drive-thru safari, that allowed drivers and passengers to experience their animals from their car windows - animals were often close enough to feed.

The park has offered sloth encounters for a few years now as well, but this year they're adding something new: hippo encounters. Don't be alarmed, these aren't the gigantic animals you might be thinking about. Instead, you can meet Yeti, a pygmy hippo, during the 30-minute encounter. (Can we just agree that Yeti is the CUTEST?)

The Wild Animal Park in Chittenango is currently booking encounters with Yeti. The park stresses that any interaction is "on the hippos terms" but can include feeding, touching, and painting (which means the hippos creates a painting for you - you can't paint the hippo).

Hanging out with a hippo is meant to be an educational and fun - and the park keeps the safety and well-being of the hippo as it's priority. Each visit includes the painting, with extra items available to purchase.

There's a maximum of 6 people per encounter, and visitor must be over the age of 6 with children accompanied by an adult.

To book your hippo encounter, go to thewildanimalpark.com. Encounters range from $200-$400 depending on the number of people. Sloth encounters are available as well, ranging from $150-$300.