How to Visit All of the Zoos in Ohio

Indian rhinoceros at the Cincinnati Zoo

There are more rhinos in Ohio than you’d probably imagine. They, along with thousands of other animals, reside in the state’s many zoos. Each zoo offers something distinctive to visitors and all are guided by ideals of preservation and education. Not every zoo in the country belongs to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a body that supports standards for animal care and species preservation, but all of these Ohio zoos do.

Instructions

1. Witness an indoor rainstorm at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Even on the sunniest days, you can count on rain at the Cleveland Zoo. It’s a feature of The RainForest, a two-acre duplex that hosts species from rain forests around the world. A section on the first level, among the Asian porcupines, simulates a tropical rainstorm every 12 minutes, with convincing effects of thunder and wind. The RainForest is one of six different environmental areas within the Cleveland Zoo’s 168 acres. Cleveland is also a good place to see monkeys; it’s home to more primates than in any other zoo in North America.

2. Meet a very big snake named Fluffy in Columbus. The Columbus Zoo makes a feature of exhibits highlighting the dangers that animals face from commerce and development. Particularly poignant is the display in the Asian exhibit where the condition of sculpted tigers represents the plight of their real-life counterparts: those species now extinct stand as a name on a base and nothing more. While education is central to the Columbus Zoo’s mission, entertainment is a priority as well. A zoo train, a restored carousel dating from 1914, and a playground allow breaks from the serious business of learning about animals. Columbus is also home to Fluffy, the longest reticulated python in captivity.

3. Feed a giraffe in Cincinnati. Visitors to the Cincinnati Zoo have the chance to feed giraffes by hand, see the only Sumatran rhinos in the country and ask questions of the zookeepers during feeding times in some of the exhibits. Cincinnati is home to a number of endangered species and has an excellent reputation for its conservation and education efforts. It is also the first zoo in the country to have a 4-D theater, where nature-themed films engage sight, sound, touch, smell and even taste.

4. See a rare and tiny toad in Toledo. The kihansi spray toad may well be extinct in its native habitat in the waterfalls of the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania. But the Toledo Zoo is working to restore the population and to that end has the only kihansi spray toads on display anywhere. The Toledo Zoo is also the site of the largest aquarium in the Midwest and home to the country’s first hippoquarium, which allows visitors to watch hippos underwater, where they swim with surprising grace.

5. Wonder at jellyfish in Akron. While the Akron Zoo is, at 50 acres, not the biggest zoo in the state, it is the go-to zoo for jellyfish. With 7 species in its 10 aquarium exhibit, the Akron Zoo has more jellyfish than any other in Ohio. Associated with the exhibit are interactive displays designed for children, including a saltwater touch tank. The size of the zoo makes for an easy walk and as you pass through Tiger Valley, where only a couple of inches of glass enclose the animals, you get as close to them as you may ever be.

6. Travel among the Rhinos in Cumberland. In rural southeastern Ohio, The Wilds restores damaged land as it helps to save threatened animals. Buses carry visitors through the park, where animals such as rhinos and giraffes range freely on nine thousand acres of land once mined for coal. The tour makes stops in areas designed to support the needs of different kinds of animals, such as carnivores, or those that thrive in wetlands. Always, the emphasis at The Wilds is on conservation and providing the most suitable environments for its inhabitants. You’ll find few cages there. The Wilds is a safari park with a conscience, a delight for photographers and a true refuge for many animals.

7. Learn about Ohio animals in Dayton. An exceptionally kid-friendly natural history museum, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton is also a small zoo. Exhibits feature animals native to Ohio, desert creatures, marine life and, in the Bieser Discovery Center, reptiles and insects. The museum’s mission is a teaching one and the animals figure as one part of the big world kids are invited to learn about. Among the other exhibits at the Boonshoft are a planetarium, a giant tree house and a science center.

Tips & Warnings

• Membership among the Ohio zoos and many zoos elsewhere, is reciprocal, allowing members to get into some zoos at reduced rates and others for free.

• Look for the reptile house in Cincinnati, the oldest zoo building in the country. This and other exceptional architecture within the second-oldest zoo in the U.S. earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

• The Columbus Zoo also operates an adjacent entertainment complex consisting of a water park, an amusement park and a golf course. Ticket packages to visit all are available.

• Zoo exhibits sometimes close for maintenance or repair. Always check before you go to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Resources

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums