Indianapolis Zoo Indianapolis Zoo News 2024

After waiting much too long, the zoo has published its annual report for 2024!
Some stats:
Mammals: 42 species with 188 specimens (+1 species, +18 individuals)
Birds: 62 species with 394 specimens (+1 species, -25 specimens)
Reptiles: 53 species with 115 specimens (+1 species, +4 specimens)
Amphibians: 3 species with 212 specimens (+1 species, +8 specimens)
Fish: 54 species with 473 specimens (+2 species +115 specimens)
Inverts: 30 species with 171 specimens + 2 colonies (-2 species with - 15 specimens, +1 colony)
Plants: 5,258 species with 51,159 specimens (increase of 2,188 species)

Species Survival Plan for the Indianapolis Zoo Changes: (They still have most of these species)
+Cotton Top Tamarin
-Eastern White-Bearded Wildebeest
-Greater Kudu
-Grey Seal
-Mexican Lance-Headed Rattlesnake
-Orinoco Crocodile
-Ring-Tailed Lemur
+Sand Cat
-White-Throated Capuchin (What?!? The zoo had these?!?)
 
Heading over to Indianapolis Zoo in about a week! Looking for any tips or advice but my major questions:
- What is the deal with the macaws at opening? Is this the Magnificent Macaws event listed on the website or something else? This is one of the bigger "don't miss" things for me.
- Has anyone done any of the 'Animal Adventures' programs? Me and a friend are hoping to fit one or two, but they look like great programs and I'm tempted to set a second trip to do some more of these.
- Are there any public animal ambassador events or places to see if an ambassador may be brought out?
- Does anyone know what time the macaques are fed?

Main target species are walrus, macaques, wildebeest, addra gazelle (new species for me) as well as elephant and rhinoceros (old favorites)
 
The macaw show, where they fly across the zoo and settle in the bird show pavilion, appears to only be Memorial Day to Labor Day. They can otherwise be viewed in the Forests area.

The ambassadors now have a dedicated area at the very entrance of the zoo, before entering the main botanical gardens building. This doesn’t guarantee any single species will be viewable.

Most of your target species are regularly visible. The macaques are only viewable outside as they don’t enter the water. The walrus have underwater and top-down viewing at different points. The addras are in the with the giraffes and are usually seen from the first view you get, away from the feeding platform. The wildebeest are in the big mixed-species area in Africa. They aren’t always viewable from the initial overlook. I usually have better luck with them from the viewing area by the cheetahs.
 
One more question -- is the cotton top tamarin exhibit easy to find?

Persephone said:
The macaw show, where they fly across the zoo and settle in the bird show pavilion, appears to only be Memorial Day to Labor Day. They can otherwise be viewed in the Forests area.
Click to expand...
This is the answer I expected. I wasn't sure if it was a hard cut off for the end of summer or an 'as long as the weather's good' situation. It's something I definitely want to catch if I can.

Persephone said:
The ambassadors now have a dedicated area at the very entrance of the zoo, before entering the main botanical gardens building. This doesn’t guarantee any single species will be viewable.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that's good to know! Do they just bring out a single species at a time or is it handled a different way?

Persephone said:
Most of your target species are regularly visible. The macaques are only viewable outside as they don’t enter the water. The walrus have underwater and top-down viewing at different points. The addras are in the with the giraffes and are usually seen from the first view you get, away from the feeding platform. The wildebeest are in the big mixed-species area in Africa. They aren’t always viewable from the initial overlook. I usually have better luck with them from the viewing area by the cheetahs.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the tips, especially on the hoofstock. I've heard a lot about the macaques not going in the water -- does the underwater viewing area offer any visibility towards the land area they might use?
 
JVM said:
One more question -- is the cotton top tamarin exhibit easy to find?


This is the answer I expected. I wasn't sure if it was a hard cut off for the end of summer or an 'as long as the weather's good' situation. It's something I definitely want to catch if I can.


Thank you, that's good to know! Do they just bring out a single species at a time or is it handled a different way?


Thanks for all the tips, especially on the hoofstock. I've heard a lot about the macaques not going in the water -- does the underwater viewing area offer any visibility towards the land area they might use?
Click to expand...
There's a tamarin exhibit? So I assume the answer is no.
 
Huh. Learned something new.

The ambassador garden is new and I haven’t been since the summer season ended, but last I was there they had a few birds, a radiated tortoise, and some herps in terrariums out.
 
The Tamarins are in the bathroom at the guest service center. If you can’t find them, the receptionists would love to point them out
 
Thanks everyone for the tips about the tamarins! They are a common species but charming so I won't want to miss the novelty of my first 'bathroom' exhibit.

Persephone said:
Huh. Learned something new.

The ambassador garden is new and I haven’t been since the summer season ended, but last I was there they had a few birds, a radiated tortoise, and some herps in terrariums out.
Click to expand...
Thanks, good to know. I'm always glad when ambassador animals have some public viewing.

They seem to have a cool ambassador roster, including an aardvark. Me and the buddy visiting with me are considering the aardvark experience if we can't do the rhino one.
 
Magnificent Macaws appears to have ended last weekend (September 14-15) according to Facebook. Bummed to miss it but hoping to see it on a future trip back.

Me and my buddy got the Explorer Pass and hope to maximize as much of the day at the zoo as possible. Hoping to do the dolphin show, and as many of the animal feeds as possible, with kangaroo on priority for now. It does look like some of the times overlap but definitely open to tips. Are any of the rides worth checking out? I think I'd like to try at least one.

We're still chatting about doing some of the Zoo Adventures on Saturday but decided not to schedule any for tomorrow so far.
 
The carousel is a carousel. The gondolas are only worth it if an orange happens to be outside on the line. The roller coaster is a fairly standard kids coaster. I haven’t been on the train in ages but I remember it being a quick way to see most of the Plains area.
 
Spent almost the entire day today at Indianapolis Zoo and we've decided to spend some time there tomorrow as well. (We did cover pretty much everything but there was a chance of plans with something else.) I'm thoroughly impressed with the whole place and hope to put together a review soon. May do some more remarks tomorrow.

We did manage all five animal feeds and the Skyline so the Explorer Pass felt pretty justified. I'd have liked to give the train a shot but it wasn't operating. May today.
 
JVM said:
Spent almost the entire day today at Indianapolis Zoo and we've decided to spend some time there tomorrow as well. (We did cover pretty much everything but there was a chance of plans with something else.) I'm thoroughly impressed with the whole place and hope to put together a review soon. May do some more remarks tomorrow.

We did manage all five animal feeds and the Skyline so the Explorer Pass felt pretty justified. I'd have liked to give the train a shot but it wasn't operating. May today.
Click to expand...

I'd be interested in your review, especially what you think of the ape exhibits.
 
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