Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo News 2024

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The zoo announced on their members group on Facebook that “ Zawadi, a 3 ½ year old male bongo, arrived at the Veldt around 7am this morning. He comes from the Freeport-McMoran Audubon Species Survival Center for an SSP breeding recommendation with Addy and Stevie. The three will be spending some time behind the scenes for introductions.
We also said goodbye to Beaudan today as he makes his way down to Disney's Animal Kingdom to fulfill his own breeding recommendation.”
 
ZooNerd said:
The zoo announced on their members group on Facebook that “ Zawadi, a 3 ½ year old male bongo, arrived at the Veldt around 7am this morning. He comes from the Freeport-McMoran Audubon Species Survival Center for an SSP breeding recommendation with Addy and Stevie. The three will be spending some time behind the scenes for introductions.
We also said goodbye to Beaudan today as he makes his way down to Disney's Animal Kingdom to fulfill his own breeding recommendation.”
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A welcome addition and allows both remaining females to breed. Cow Stevie is/was mother to both female Addy and Beaudan. Beaudan was born in 2023 and had to go in due course.
 
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.
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  • 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.
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  • 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.
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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'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!

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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!
 
Joseph G said:
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.
    full
    full

  • 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.
    full

  • 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.
    full
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'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!

full


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!
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I noticed a lot of work Sunday as well. Can't wait to see all the new additions. Lots on agenda for a few years. I just found and joined this. We come to zoo weekly and travel to other zoos. Nice to find someone from Cincinnati
 
Making a visit soon, a few questions:
• What notable rarities are in world of birds?
• Will the blue penguins and okapi out in early December?
• What will be off habitat?
• Is there still aardwolves?
• How often are the aye-aye, sifaka and loris (luke) seen?
• What is “skipable”, last time I skipped insects, manatees and reptile house.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
Making a visit soon, a few questions:
• What notable rarities are in world of birds?
• Will the blue penguins and okapi out in early December?
• What will be off habitat?
• Is there still aardwolves?
• How often are the aye-aye, sifaka and loris (luke) seen?
• What is “skipable”, last time I skipped insects, manatees and reptile house.
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1. I believe they still have Guam rails but there isn't much else in terms of rarities in Birds of the World as far as I know.
2. I've never bothered to go down Roo Valley during the winter but I have seen the kangaroos outside from Eagle Eyrie. I can't confidently say the penguins will be outside. I've never seen okapi out past October.
3. From experience, you will MOST LIKELY not see lemurs, birds in jungle trails, okapi, warty pig, bongo, hoofstock in Africa (excluding giraffes), Galapagos tortoises, and hippos if it isn't 45°F.
4. There was one aardwolf last I checked and I would have heard otherwise.
5. It's 50/50 with the lorises (even with multiple exhibits), I'll catch the sifakas sleeping near the ceiling every now and then, but I have 100% success with seeing the aye-ayes active.
6. I don't necessarily really find any part of the zoo skippable, especially the three you named - but I do find myself not hitting up Dragons! every visit. You can also add Discovery Forest to that but only because it's inconvenient to get to.
 
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Moebelle said:
1. I believe they still have Guam rails but there isn't much else in terms of rarities in Birds of the World as far as I know.
2. I've never bothered to go down Roo Valley during the winter but I have seen the kangaroos outside from Eagle Eyrie. I can't confidently say the penguins will be outside. I've never seen okapi out past October.
3. From experience, you will MOST LIKELY not see lemurs, birds in jungle trails, okapi, warty pig, bongo, hoofstock in Africa (excluding giraffes), Galapagos tortoises, and hippos if it isn't 45°F.
4. There was one aardwolf last I checked and I would have heard otherwise.
5. It's 50/50 with the lorises (even with multiple exhibits), I'll catch the sifakas sleeping near the ceiling every now and then, but I have 100% success with seeing the aye-ayes active.
6. I don't necessarily really find any part of the zoo skippable, especially the three you named - but I do find myself not hitting up Dragons! every visit. You can also add Discovery Forest to that but only because it's inconvenient to get to.
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Thanks! One more,
7. Is there indoor viewing for the orangutans?
Last time I visited I saw all the animals you mentioned but the aye aye, blue penguin, lemurs and okapi.
 
Moebelle said:
There is! If you see the Orangutan you'll also most likely see him with Lar Gibbons.
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Henry does not use the indoor habitat out of personal preference so you will either see the Muller's or Lar Gibbon in that enclosure instead.

Side not as well, Roo Valley is closed during the winter so you will only be able to see it from the pathway between it and the Eagle Erie. Little Blue Penguins would only be outside if it is a nice day so all just depends on when you go with our crazy Ohio weather.
 
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