Barbmom
Member
I saw the cheetah dogs retirement party then their last walk at the zoo. I told my goid friend who works with them that I can't wait for cheetah cubs and I didn't have to wait long!
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo News 2024
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USZOOfan42
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I am planning on visiting the zoo tomorrow, I am aiming to see the sifakas, aye aye, blue penguins, hippos, the bachelor gorilla troop, okapis and the entirety of Night Hunters. Is there any seasonally closures to result in not seeing these species? Also, the website states there are some animals off habitat in the African building in jungle trails, any idea what animals?
Based on the unusually warm weather, normally you'd see see all of those animals. Typically around this time though, I just learned Roo Valley is closed off (blue penguins). Hippos, Gorillas and all of Night Hunters are a guarantee.
According to the membership Facebook page, the power went out in the African building. It holds potto, bushbabies, sifakas, bonobo, birds, gecko, and aye-ayes.
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
Unusually warm weather? This is the coldest December Cincinnati has had in quite some time
Seasonality wise as Moebelle has said the Little Blue Penguins will be off display until the springtime. Looking at the weather forecast tomorrow you should be all good hippo wise, only worry I would have for you would be the Okapi as they generally don't come out much in the winter but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
It will be 57 tomorrow... that is quite in fact, unusually warm.Unusually warm weather? This is the coldest December Cincinnati has had in quite some time
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Last year I visited on the 16th and roo valley was open earlier in the day. I thought the others (gorillas, hippos, and night hunters) would all be easy. Hopefully the power is fixed and the animals will be on exhibit. Is it possible they are outdoors? Also, the how likely is it I’ll see the Guam rail?
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
My apologies I thought you were referring to the month and a whole and not today.
There is a female Guam Rail that lives in the Asia Walk Through Aviary in the bird house. As long as the visitors around you are quiet you have a pretty good chance of spotting her but she often hides when there are loud noises. The Sifaka are the only one from that list that have an outdoor enclosure.
ZooNerd
Well-Known Member
Does the zoo only have 1 Guam rail left? I could’ve sworn they had more on display.
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
They used to have a breeding pair but the female passed away so now it is just a male that lives behind the scenes and their daughter who is on habitat. There is currently no recommendation for either one to breed right now and the zoo does not have the space for more Guam Rails so for the time being it will just be the two of them.
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
Just finished, a very successful visit! I saw every animal I wanted to see but the okapi, warty pigs and orangutans. I was able to catch the rail for a few seconds. Sifakas and Aye Ayes were very active too. I also saw the aardwolf awake!
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Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
The zoos oldest cheetah and national geographic cover star Tommy T passed away over the weekend at sixteen years old.
Toledo Zoo Guide
Well-Known Member
Some updates from today:
- Bear Ridge/Otter Coast construction has sped up significantly. A few shots below. I put some more in the gallery. Really started to get a sense of scale for these exhibits.
- The new habitat in Jungle Trails is almost done with only some minor landscaping left. Doubtful it'll be for the clouded leopard as I was dreaming, but I am leaning towards a new habitat for Kip and his surrogate parents perhaps? Again, more photos in the gallery.
Last and certainly not least, Elephant Trek is extremely impressive despite half of it still being under construction. You truly cannot grasp the scale of this exhibit without seeing it in person. I never thought I'd see anything that impressed me more than Toyota Elephant Passage at Denver but wow, this beats it by a long shot.
- It looks like the siamang habitat in the second phase of elephant trek will have an overhead tunnel connecting two netted enclosures. Can't tell for sure from a distance.
It's only going to get better when the second half is done. From what you can see across the way, it looks so much more expansive than how much of a "throw-in" some of the exhibits seemed like when this project was announced and even throughout the construction process. I don't think they've really shown their hand for what's still to come and it's extremely exciting. A new standard has been set and that can only mean good things for the rest of the zoo world!
Leaving the zoo today, I thought about how awesome this is going to be come next summer. Elephant Trek will be a huge draw. The hippos will continue to draw people to Africa. Roo Valley will have a line all the way up the hill as usual. Bear Ridge and Otter Coaster will spread out the crowd headed down the hill. The zoo will truly feel full for the first time since I moved here in 2022. Exciting times and hopefully more to come!
Is this Jungle Trails renovation taking over the former Mueller Gibbon island?
Correct.
I have a trip planned for August 2025, do you think these renovations will be done by then?
I've heard from several people that Elephant Trek should be fully opened in the spring. Can't confirm the opening for Black Bear Ridge. All I've heard was "later in the year".
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
What ever happened to the planned duiker habitat?
Thanks! Hey, any chance you can give me a idea for a route to cover the whole zoo? The map is a bit confusing to me, the exhibits kind of look like they are all over the place.
You're not the first person to say that, but once you're there, I personally believe it's easy to navigate since almost all of the exhibits share a single main looping path.
Here is the order I take 100% of the time, and it only takes me a few hours:
- Roo Valley
- Eagle Eyrie
- Reptile House
- Night Hunters
- Cat Canyon
- Gorilla World
- World of the Insect
- Lemurs and Dragons!
- Elephant Trek
- Manatee Springs & what will be the future wolf exhibit
- Rhino Reserve
- Jungle Trails (entrance is in the middle of what will be Black Bear Ridge - halfway up the hill)
- Future Black Bear Ridge
- Wings of the World
- Free Flight Aviary - go across the train tracks to:
- African Penguin Point
- Wolf Woods - backtrack across the same tracks to:
- Africa (cheetah to giraffe to cheetah show to lion to plains to painted dog/meerkat/hippo) Exit the same way you came in
- Children's Zoo (also exit the same way you came in)
- Gibbon Islands (which might not be there by that time)
- Red Pandas
- Backtrack to the Gibbons and follow along Swan Lake and go past the Elephant House up the hill to:
- Discovery Forest
- Backtrack to Swan Lake until you see the bridge, and that will lead you back towards the entrance, Crane Island, and what's now the remnants of Elephant Reserve.
Wow, thank you so much! This helps me a bunch. In your opinion is this a full day zoo? For comparison I did not make it through Columbus in the time I had (opening until 3PM), I will be with my 8 year old son, so stopping at the children's area or any playgrounds will be a use of time too.
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As a member who just skims at this point but still covers the entire zoo grounds, we're never there for more than a couple of hours. Back during the days when I used to stop and appreciate every little detail, I was there for 5 hours max.
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