Go behind the scenes at the Houston Zoo: Play with a giraffe, walk a cheetah, bathe an elephant

Watching animals somewhat from afar is one thing. Getting within a few inches of them changed my life.

Kiva is an inquisitive and social 17-year-old male Masai giraffe who’s quite at home around people — he was hand reared in Los Angeles before he arrived at the Houston Zoo in 1997. He’s a bit of a Casanova, mainly paying attention to women — that’s until I held crispy leaves of lettuce, cut up carrots and, his favorite, sweet potatoes.

Then, I could have been his best bud. His fur is soft and he doesn’t mind being touched.

He is anything but shy, sticking out his purple-blue, long, pointy tongue to secure his delicious bounty. When I held a piece between my teeth, Kiva put the moves on me — jokingly — and managed to lick my face in his quest.

Standing 17 feet tall and weighing 2,500 pounds, the curious fellow is average for his age. He’s already fathered five other giraffes at the zoo — including 3-year-old Miles and 6-month-old baby Asali. Both live right here in Houston.

I learned all about giraffes during a Behind-the-Scenes Star Treatment Tour at the Houston Zoo with animal savant Jessica Sigel — she has a marine biology degree from Texas A&M University. I ventured to the two-story giraffe feeding platform with the animal care team for a face-to-face — literally — date with Kiva.

Talk about a close encounter. I could have been there all day, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

The outing is one of the many behind-the-scenes tours anyone can take at the Houston Zoo. You can say hello to the sea lions, assist the keepers with the elephants’ daily bath, take the cheetahs on a walk through the zoo’s grounds — with the keepers holding the leash and at a safe distance, of course — and feed lions and tigers.

Maybe you want to hold and take a picture of a white-bellied go-away bird? Or watch the pelicans chow down on delicious grub? The red panda is cute. You can chat with him, too.

For the fearless and less squeamish, feeding piranhas may just strike your fancy. Those obsessed with reptiles can get up close and personal with the slithery creatures, also.

Curious? Tours can be purchased for as little as $40 to $125.

But for the ultimate wild animal adventure, the four-hour Red Carpet Experience is an in-depth safari that explores the species calling The African Forest home.

Now, that’s exciting.

For $200 for Houston Zoo members and $255 for non-members, the expedition journeys through the giraffe, cheetah, rhino and chimp facilities and includes lunch with zoo education staff.

Yes, there is more. As part of the Red Carpet Experience, you also get to participate in a one-hour Front-of-Scenes tour — also available separately starting at $15 for members and $25 for non-members.

Think of the Front-of-Scenes tour as a guided stroll through the exhibits with your own walking animal dictionary. Though I attempted — in good spirit — to stump my guru with somewhat obscure (maybe a little ridiculous) questions, I failed. She knew all.

What did I learn?

Chimps share 95-98 percent DNA with humans. Their facial expressions and vocalizations clearly evoke emotion, but it takes an expert to decipher what the animal is feeling. Did you know that if a chimp looks like he’s smiling it usually means he is experiencing fear and anger?

It’s all about observation. I needed to learn to pay close attention.

Rhinos are the second largest mammals after elephants, weighing-in at an average of 7,900 pounds for males and 3,500 pounds for females. Males tend to spar with each other using their imposing horn.

Curious to learn more? Booking a tour is easy. Just click here.