Living Treasures Wild Animal Park

What Living Treasures Wild Animal Park does

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is a family-owned and operated interactive animal park operating two physical locations in Pennsylvania: the Moraine location near New Castle (opened 1992) and the Laurel Highlands location in Jones Mills (opened 1998), with reciprocal season pass acceptance at Keystone Safari in Grove City. Founded by Tom Guiher, the business has remained under family control for three decades and currently operates under his son Adam Guiher (Moraine owner) and daughter Fawn Guiher and her husband Matt (Laurel Highlands general managers). The core offering is general admission ($15.50–$18.50) granting full-day access to over 300 animals across 70 species, including hands-on feeding experiences and the Rainforest Room exhibit, supplemented by premium private encounters with sloths ($125) and otters ($150).

The company monetizes across nine distinct revenue streams: single-day admissions, annual season passes ($50–$60) with multi-property benefits, premium animal encounters and photo booths ($12 per print), curriculum-aligned field trip programs ($10–$12 per student), mobile Zoo to You outreach ($100/hour), animal feed and food sales ($4.50 per bag), gift shop and custom sublimation merchandise, seasonal ticketed events (Holiday Light Extravaganza with 900,000+ bulbs; Night at the Zoo), and on-site lodging at Log Cabin Lodge & Suites. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via on-site gate sales, Future Ticketing-powered online checkout, phone reservations, and group booking channels. Marketing relies on organic Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok content plus TripAdvisor/Google reviews.

The business is fundamentally a brick-and-mortar experiential attraction with no disclosed proprietary technology beyond the Future Ticketing integration and no AI/ML capabilities. Operating geographies are concentrated in Western Pennsylvania and the Laurel Highlands tourism corridor, drawing from Pittsburgh, Altoona, Somerset, Johnstown, and adjacent areas of West Virginia and Maryland. Seasonal operations (closed during winter) and family-only ownership with no disclosed external investors define the structural profile.

Name

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park

Legal name

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park

Website

https://ltanimalpark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is a family-owned interactive animal park operating two Pennsylvania locations (Jones Mills and New Castle) serving regional families, schools, and tourists with hands-on animal experiences, premium encounters, education programs, and on-site lodging.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Park

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Birding & Wildlife Observation Lodges (THAGAIAK), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG), Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO)

Keywords

• Interactive animal park
• Wildlife education programs
• Animal encounters
• Field trip programs
• Family entertainment venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Jones Mills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Single-day admission fees for adults, seniors, and children. Children 2 and under admitted free.
2. Season Passes: Annual passes valid at both Laurel Highlands and Moraine locations plus Keystone Safari. Includes free event admission, 10% gift shop discount, and discounted animal feed. Provides recurring revenue and customer lock-in.
3. Animal Encounters: Premium private experiences with ambassador animals including sloth encounters ($125 for up to 2 people), otter encounters ($150 for 1-4 people), and photo booth sessions ($12 per photo). Add-on experiences booked in advance.
4. Field Trip Programs: Educational programming for schools and homeschool groups at $12 per person with programming, $10 without. Add-on experiences including photo booths at $10 per person.
5. Zoo to You Outreach: Mobile animal education presentations at schools and events. Photo booth option at $10 per participant, assembly presentations at $100 per hour.
6. Animal Feed and Food Sales: Feed cups, carrots, and combination food packages available throughout the park. Season pass holders receive discounted pricing.
7. Gift Shop and Merchandise: On-site gift shop with souvenirs, custom sublimation products (t-shirts, mugs, keychains, etc.), and animal art created by resident animals.
8. Special Events: Ticketed seasonal events including Holiday Light Extravaganza (900,000+ bulbs, 3 light/sound shows) and Night at the Zoo. Season pass holders receive free admission to events.
9. Lodging (Log Cabin Lodge & Suites): On-site accommodations operated separately at logcabinlodgepa.com. Handcrafted log construction with animal-themed decor, rooms and multi-bedroom suites, some pet-friendly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is a family-owned interactive animal park in Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania, offering visitors hands-on access to over 300 animals across 70 species through general admission, premium animal encounters (sloth, otter, photo booth), season passes valid at two locations, education programs for schools and homeschool groups, seasonal events (Night at the Zoo, Holiday Light Extravaganza), on-site lodging at Log Cabin Lodge & Suites, and mobile "Zoo to You" outreach presentations. The core product is general admission providing full-day access to all park areas, animal feeding experiences, and the Rainforest Room exhibit.

Product overview

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is an interactive zoo offering a unified experience centered on hands-on animal encounters. The core product is general admission providing access to over 300 animals across 70 species, including the Rainforest Room exhibit and animal feeding experiences. This is supplemented by premium add-on experiences including private animal encounters (Sloth Encounter, Otter Encounter, Animal Encounter Photo Booth), education programs (Field Trips, Zoo to You, Education Cabinet), and seasonal events (Night at the Zoo, Holiday Light Extravaganza). The park also operates Log Cabin Lodge & Suites for overnight stays and offers specialty items through Animal Art and Custom Sublimation services. Season Passes provide unlimited access with additional benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Day passes providing full-day access to all park areas, animal feeding experiences, and the Rainforest Room exhibit. Adult (12-59) $18.50; Senior (60+) $16.50; Child (3-11) $15.50; Child (2 & under) Free.
• Season Passes Annual subscription passes valid at both Laurel Highlands and Moraine locations plus Keystone Safari in Grove City. Includes unlimited visits, free event admission, 10% gift shop discount, and discounted animal feed. Adult $60; Child/Senior/Public Servant $50 with valid ID; immediate family of public servants $50 each. Quantity discounts: 10% off for 3-5 passes, 20% off for 6+ passes purchased same day.
• Sloth Encounter Private 30-minute guided session inside the sloth exhibit to meet, feed, and touch two-toed sloths Yuma, Padawan, and Mizuki. $125 for up to 2 people; additional 3rd person $75. Participants must be at least 8 years old with one adult. Does not include park admission ($10 per person with encounter).
• Otter Encounter Private 30-minute session with Asian small-clawed otters Saco, Peanut & Jelly. Includes touching, feeding, and interaction through a plexiglass window. $150 for 1 to 4 people. All participants must be at least 5 years old with one adult. Does not include park admission ($10 per person with encounter). Available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 12 PM.
• Animal Encounter Photo Booth On-property photo session with choice of 2 animals (alligator, snake, kangaroo, wallaby, lizards, rabbit — varies). Takes 6 photos and prints the favorite in a commemorative folder. $12 for one printed photo, $6 for each additional print, all 6 photos emailed. Available Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays May-October, weather dependent.
• Traveling Animal Encounters Mobile animal encounter experience bringing ambassador animals and trained handlers to birthday parties, corporate events, school assemblies, festivals, and other gatherings. Includes professional photo experience.
• Animal Art Paintings created by resident animals including Congo the African Grey Parrot, lemurs, Lily the tiger, Saco the otter, and squirrel monkeys, available for purchase in the gift shop.
• Custom Sublimation Service allowing customers to add custom photos or designs to various items: mouse pads, keychains, coasters, coffee mugs, t-shirts, cutting boards, puzzles, slates, bottle openers, magnets, wind spinners, and ornaments. Price varies by item. Contact [email protected].
• Field Trips & Homeschool Programs Educational group programs aligned with Pennsylvania State Standards featuring hands-on animal experiences. Programs include Fun with Reptiles, Friends of a Feather, Astounding Adaptations, Amazing Arthropods, Going Going Gone, and Backyard Creatures. $12 per person with programming, $10 without. Photo booth add-on $10 per person.
• Zoo to You Mobile educational presentations bringing live animals to schools, festivals, and events. Photo Booth option free for organizations with $10 per 4x6 photo; Assembly option $100 per hour including travel time. $25 travel fee for locations over 1 hour away with minimum 30 photo purchases.
• Birthday Parties Celebration packages at the park with animal-themed experiences. Details, pricing, and party options available by calling 724-593-8300.
• Night at the Zoo After-dark event held every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 PM to 11 PM. Non-scary family event featuring torch-lit walkways to observe nocturnal animal behaviors. Flashlights recommended. Season pass holders admitted free.
• Holiday Light Extravaganza Seasonal event featuring over 900,000 light bulbs, 3 light and sound shows, and a fountain show. Some animals remain available for petting and feeding. Season passes valid for the event.
• Log Cabin Lodge & Suites On-site accommodations featuring handcrafted log construction with animal-themed decor. Options include standard and deluxe rooms with whirlpool tubs, and 1-4 bedroom suites with full kitchens, hot tubs, fireplaces, and game tables. Select suites are pet-friendly. Operated separately at logcabinlodgepa.com.
• Animal Feed & Food Sales Feed cups, carrots, and combination food packages available throughout the park for hands-on feeding with various animals including Nubian goats, Highland cows, Patagonian cavies, Bennett's wallabies, Tulu camels, domestic sheep, red kangaroos, ponies, miniature horses, and llamas. Bag of Carrots $4.50; Bag of Feed $4.50; Food Combo $8.00. Season pass holders receive discounted pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Season pass pays for itself in just a few visits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Lehigh Valley Zoo: Mid-sized zoo in Schnecksville, PA with interactive animal experiences and education programming. Serves a different PA region (eastern PA) so not a direct competitor, but operates with similar scale and program mix in the same state.
• Brandywine Zoo: Small zoo in Wilmington, DE offering animal encounters and educational programs. Comparable scale and program mix; serves a different Mid-Atlantic geography so does not directly compete with Living Treasures for visitors.

Broad incumbents

• Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium: Major regional zoo serving the same Western PA / Pittsburgh metro market as Living Treasures. Broader portfolio and AZA accreditation, but overlaps significantly on family day-trip and school field trip demand from the same geographic base.

Direct peers

• The Wilds: Conservation-focused safari park and wildlife preserve in Cumberland, OH operated alongside the Columbus Zoo. Comparable wildlife-viewing and conservation positioning with safari-style animal experiences and educational programming.
• Natural Bridge Zoo: Smaller interactive zoo in Natural Bridge, VA featuring close animal encounters and feeding experiences. Comparable size, regional Mid-Atlantic positioning, and hands-on family-focused operating model.
• Clyde Peeling's Reptiland: Family-operated interactive reptile and exotic animal park in Allenwood, PA. Shares Living Treasures' Pennsylvania footprint, family-ownership profile, and emphasis on close-up animal encounters and education programs.
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park: Mid-sized interactive wildlife park in Springfield, MO built around hands-on animal encounters and animal encounters (giraffe feeding, sloth encounters). Closely matches Living Treasures on core value proposition of intimate, interactive animal experiences over passive zoo viewing.
• African Safari Wildlife Park: Drive-through safari park and walk-through zoo in Port Clinton, OH with hands-on feeding and animal encounters. Comparable scale, Mid-Atlantic/Midwest family destination positioning, and combination of drive-through and interactive zoo experiences.
• Catoctin Wildlife Preserve: Smaller interactive zoo in Thurmont, MD featuring close animal encounters and family programming. Comparable size, Mid-Atlantic regional positioning, and hands-on experiential model.

Others

• Kalahari Resorts: Family destination resort with indoor water park and animal-adjacent experiences. Not a direct competitor but competes for the same family overnight-stay discretionary wallet share in the broader Mid-Atlantic family destination market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LivingTreasuresLaurelHighlands
• Facebookfacebook.com/LivingTreasuresAnimalParkLaurelHighlands
• TikToktiktok.com/@livingtreasureswi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/living-treasures-wild-animal-park

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Living Treasures Wild Animal Park