Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus Zoo and Aquarium News 2025

I don’t really know why but maybe it has to do with her also being pregnant? Maybe they are just planning on introducing her to the new baby later.
A keeper told me during the baby's debut yesterday that they wanted to introduce Rudy first in order to establish her bond with the baby. Phoebe is the matriarch and has a very different parenting style than Sunny (more "helicopter mom" versus Sunny being more laid back) so they wanted to make sure Sunny and Rudy were comfortable and bonding with the baby before she enters the mix and potentially takes charge. The end goal is for the entire group to live together again, and this will likely be the case soon.
The keeper stated everything is going very well thus far, and even rambunctious Frankie is being very respectful and conscious of Sunny and the baby!
 
I don’t really know why but maybe it has to do with her also being pregnant? Maybe they are just planning on introducing her to the new baby later.

She was with Sunny and the baby part time. I was thinking she would be utilized as a mentor. Maybe they were afraid Phoebe would try to take the baby away during the bonding process.
 
She was with Sunny and the baby part time. I was thinking she would be utilized as a mentor. Maybe they were afraid Phoebe would try to take the baby away during the bonding process.
As I mentioned, they are not fully reintegrated in order to ensure Rudy's bond with the calf. Phoebe is the matriarch and and experienced mother while Rudy is a more submissive and aloof individual. She was rather distant from Frankie for a while and the zoo wants to ensure she is a present part in the raising and support of this calf. Phoebe has been around calves that aren't her own throughout her entire life, she knows boundaries and is being very respectful of Sunny thus far.
 
Any ideas if there will be any new species for the songbird aviary or if it is open yet? Also, when will the indoor gibbon holding be completed?
 
Any ideas if there will be any new species for the songbird aviary or if it is open yet? Also, when will the indoor gibbon holding be completed?
the aviary was not open on my last visit unsure about new species but there will none probably and to answer your next question probably late winter
 
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the aviary was not open on my last visit unsure about new species but there will none probably and to answer your next question probably late winter
Thanks! I would like to note I emailed the zoo asking about this and the aardvark and the zoo said both that the Avairy is now open, and the aardvark is in the nocturnal house, which could be true but I doubt that.
 
the aardvark is in the nocturnal house, which could be true but I doubt that.

If anyone goes to the zoo soon, could you please check on this? It'd be interesting to have the aardvark in the nocturnal building in that geographical section of the zoo since they come from Africa. Although, there's a mismatch of inhabitants in the kiwi exhibit - I'm drawing a blank right now, but I feel like it was some type of primate not from the Asian/Australian region. Also, the only exhibit big enough to be suitable for the aardvark I feel would be the one the wombat has inhabited (perhaps the zoo employee confused the two animals).
 
If anyone goes to the zoo soon, could you please check on this? It'd be interesting to have the aardvark in the nocturnal building in that geographical section of the zoo since they come from Africa. Although, there's a mismatch of inhabitants in the kiwi exhibit - I'm drawing a blank right now, but I feel like it was some type of primate not from the Asian/Australian region. Also, the only exhibit big enough to be suitable for the aardvark I feel would be the one the wombat has inhabited (perhaps the zoo employee confused the two animals).
I was at the zoo a week or so ago and there was definitely no aardvark. This may have changed since but if so it is a very recent development.
 
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