I remember being delighted with this pool when I visited the zoo in 2008, and even a quarter century after its debut it is arguably still the best exhibit in the zoo!
North American zoos with underwater hippo viewing:
- Saint Louis Zoo
- San Diego Zoo
- Toledo Zoo
- San Antonio Zoo
- Calgary Zoo
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Sedgwick County Zoo
- Busch Gardens
- Granby Zoo
- Adventure Aquarium
- Ellen Trout Zoo
- Memphis Zoo (opening in 2013?)
Cincinnati is planning on building a Nile hippopotamus exhibit with underwater viewing for Africa, and the previous public plans for Columbus' African savanna have called for a Nile hippopotamus exhibit with underwater viewing (though of course the finalized plans have not yet been made public). As a result, Ohio could potentially have three Nile hippopotamus exhibits with underwater viewing by the end of 2015.
Or consider that Cleveland cut hippos from its Elephant crossing project.It appears that Columbus has now done the same with its Savannah.If Cincy does not come through with its plans for Nile Hippos, Toledo could remain the only zoo in Ohio to see Hippos.
I was really quite surprised to see the hippos dropped from Columbus' plans. They had been included in all of the previous plans that I had seen, and the staff members I talked to always mentioned the plans for a hippo enclosure.
The plans for Cincinnati's "Africa!" are finalized, and hippos are included as a major, and well advertised, attraction for the exhibit; there will be at least two zoos in Ohio with Nile hippos by the end of 2015.
