Wild Fun: What’s New at Ohio Zoos
From adorable animal babies to upgraded offerings, here are the fresh finds at these four Ohio zoos this summer.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Covering more than 1,000 square feet, the new Ken Cooke and Jerry Borin Orangutan Indoor Habitat provides the primates access to tall vertical spaces and a place to exercise their mobility. Zoo visitors can also see Jamani, a nearly 2-year-old western lowland gorilla; Angus, a tufted deer fawn born in November; and Frankie, an Asian elephant calf who turns 1 year old in June. columbuszoo.org
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: This Cincinnati favorite is always ready to show off its newest baby animals, including two penguins born this winter, named Rose (a tribute to Betty White’s “Golden Girls” character) and Cup O’ Joe Burrow (in honor of the Bengals quarterback). Among the other recent births at the zoo, summer visitors can look forward to seeing Twiggy the flamingo, Ajani Joe the black rhino and the zoo’s youngest wallabies, Pocket and Zip. cincinnatizoo.org
Toledo Zoo & Aquarium: A new lineup of Live Nation concerts hits the stage at the outdoor amphitheater this summer, including performances by ZZ top, The Doobie Brothers, Rick Springfield and Goo Goo Dolls, as well as local community bands and symphonies. Nuka, a 17-year-old polar bear, recently made his zoo debut. Nuka is part of the species survival program and is paired with the zoo’s polar bear Crystal. toledozoo.org
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Born in October 2021, Kayembe became the zoo’s first-ever baby gorilla. His name, which means “extraordinary,” was bestowed after a contest that raised $15,000 for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, which benefits gorilla conservation efforts. One of the zoo’s newest features is the Eagle Zip Adventure, a family-friendly tandem ride that opened in summer 2021 and offers views from 150 feet above the zoo grounds. clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo
102 Days and Nights of Summer | Dublin Art Council’s Art in Public Places | Hot Air Balloon Festivals | Dayton’s Aviation Trail | Car Cruise-ins and Races | Sylvania’s Fossil Park
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