Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo News 2025

Frankie_number_1_fan said:
The zoo has not updated on whether the boys have tested negative or not (afaik), but they continue to be on exhibit, sparring and playing so it appears that they are still symptom free.
Click to expand...
Thanks @Frankie_number_1_fan for telling me this. If I'm being honest, I was afraid for the two young elephants, but happy to see that they're doing okay at the moment. It would be very sad if we lost Kabir and Sanjay to the EEHV.:(
Moebelle said:
I don't visit the zoo as frequently, but as a local I can try my best to answer some of these to the best of my ability and I apologize if what I say is out of date.

I can't exactly comment on the progress of Bear Ridge but from my understanding it will open on time for fall. I imagine they will have rescued sea otters. I'm hoping the third species will be the Arctic foxes possibly making a return to their old habitat. I don't think it's been touched during construction so I could see that happening. The rumored fourth exhibit has speculated American porcupines or an aviary.

Last I saw we still had a few warty pigs, few kings, and two guenons... however, I have not seen the guenons in over a year.

A red river hog is part of the Cheetah Encounter show. Arctic foxes off exhibit, Magellanics can be found in Wings of the World.

There is a Red-tailed hawk in the old grey fox exhibit.

Sunbittern: Wings of the World, Newt: World of the Insect, Pheasant-pigeon: Most likely Worlds of the Insect, Map Turtle: Reptile House, Potto: Jungle Trails, Blue Duiker: Doesn't apparently have a public exhibit, Guenon: Jungle Trails - if the Sifakas are outside, Guenons are usually in their indoor spot. Cannot confirm if this is still the case, Scaup: Roo Valley

From experience 99% of the time when the Aardwolf is active is when the lights are on first thing in the morning.

All of these are easy to see, especially like I said when the lights are on in Night Hunters. The aye-ayes I believe have been here since 2011 and I have seen them active on 100% of visits.

Here's a general species list for World of the Insect and the rest of the zoo: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Full Species List [Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden]

Best order? Left to right from the entrance. People apparently people often miss African Penguins/Wolf Woods/Red Pandas/Children's Zoo. For Penguins and Wolf Woods - go past the train station across from Wings of the World. Backtrack your way out - go through Africa - then go across Base Camp Cafe to see Children's Zoo, and then Red Pandas.
Click to expand...
Thanks for everything @Moebelle! :) Sorry if I made a long list of questions but I'm planning to go visit the zoo some time this year. Good to know that all animals are easy to see, especially the aye-aye. I will try to arrive as soon as possible to see the aardwolf active, as it's a lifer, and I would love to see him awake. I will have mostly all day for the zoo, so it's probable that I'll return to some areas if I didn't see the species the first time, but I'll follow the way you proposed to see the zoo. Thanks for the list (which has been made by @birdsandbats), the insect house seems to have a very big collection, so pretty excited for it! Looking at older posts I will go when the construction of Bear ridge and sea otter coast are finished, see the rhinos before they leave at the end of the year, the primate exhibit should be opened and the babirusa that should arrive at July. It's also great that by that time of year the zoo could possibly be only working on the new wolf exhibit, and as I understand it, the current pack of wolves will still be on the their exhibit, so I won't miss any animal due to construction.
 
Last edited:
Panda_Fan said:
Couple of questions, sorry if a bother anyone:

Are Kabir and Sanjay ok? Do they still have the virus, or are they cured?
------------
It would be very helpful if anyone could tell me how is the construcions going on bear ridge and sea otter coast. And, I don't know if it's my imagination, but those someone know if there's a third species planned for this area?
On the same note, will the zoo be a facility that will only hold rescued sea otters?
------------
Does anybody know the current numbers for their Panay warty pigs, King penguins, Grey's crowned monkey?
------------
In zootierliste it says that the zoo holds red river hogs, artic foxes and magellanic penguin. Does the zoo still hold them?
-----------
Is there a species occupying the old grey fox exhibit at Wolf woods?
----------
Where could I find the northern sunbittern, Japanese fire-bellied newt, White-naped pheasent-pigeon, Pascagoula map trutle, Potto, Blue duiker, Grey's crowned monkey and the new zeland scaulp?
Is there a specific hour to see the aardwolf active?
Are the two puffin species, okapis, aye-ayes and the night hunter species easy to see?
-----------
Could some one provide me a species list of the Insectarium?
-----------
When does the new wolf exhibit openes?
When does the SA monkey exhibit opens?
------------
When do the black rhinos leave?
--------------
What is the best order to visit each exhibit?

Thanks a lot for responding to my questions :).
Click to expand...
1. Kabir and Sanjay seem to be doing well but don't know anymore details on that

2. Construction is going pretty well the sea otter pool had water in it last time I visited. The bear habitat fencing is not done and the exhibits have not been decorated but it should be on track to open late summer early fall. The arctic fox will be moved back from Mast Farm and inhabit her former habitat. At point their was planned to build a vulture aviary next to the black bear habitat but now I believe that is just going to be empty space or a playground. Quite a shame as the black bear habitat is very very small and even just a little more space would be very beneficial. Their is no breeding of sea otters in the US they are all rescued or former offspring from the old program.

3. The zoo currently has two male warty pigs, four king penguins, and three grey's crowned guenons

4. The zoo has a red river hog in the cheetah show, the arctic fox is at the off-site facility, and their is a single magellanic penguin in the penguin exhibit in the bird house.

5. Red-Tailed Hawk

6. Sunbittern is in the bird house, Japanese fire-bellied newt are no longer on display used to be in the insect house but that area got renovated and they were removed (not sure if the zoo still has them), White-naped pheasent-pigeon is in the butterfly aviary in the insect house, Pascagoula map turtle are in the Reptile House, Potto is in the Jungle Trails Africa Building, Blue duiker are behind the scenes, Grey's crowned monkey are in Jungle Trails, and the new zeland scaulp are in Roo Valley. Aardwolf is usually active first thing in the morning and near closing time. All of those species are pretty easy to see.

8. New wolf exhibit will open once bear ridge is done but not sure when exactly, my guess would be around late 2026 to 2027. The new Jungle Trails habitat will be open within the next few weeks as construction has finished and the animals will soon be introduced.

9. Ajani will be leaving sooner and Seyia is currently at the former Elephant Reserve until the zoo she is going to has finished building their habitat not sure what date though exactly but their will be rhinos at the zoo in time for your visit.
 
Jonathan Petersson said:
1. Kabir and Sanjay seem to be doing well but don't know anymore details on that

2. Construction is going pretty well the sea otter pool had water in it last time I visited. The bear habitat fencing is not done and the exhibits have not been decorated but it should be on track to open late summer early fall. The arctic fox will be moved back from Mast Farm and inhabit her former habitat. At point their was planned to build a vulture aviary next to the black bear habitat but now I believe that is just going to be empty space or a playground. Quite a shame as the black bear habitat is very very small and even just a little more space would be very beneficial. Their is no breeding of sea otters in the US they are all rescued or former offspring from the old program.

3. The zoo currently has two male warty pigs, four king penguins, and three grey's crowned guenons

4. The zoo has a red river hog in the cheetah show, the arctic fox is at the off-site facility, and their is a single magellanic penguin in the penguin exhibit in the bird house.

5. Red-Tailed Hawk

6. Sunbittern is in the bird house, Japanese fire-bellied newt are no longer on display used to be in the insect house but that area got renovated and they were removed (not sure if the zoo still has them), White-naped pheasent-pigeon is in the butterfly aviary in the insect house, Pascagoula map turtle are in the Reptile House, Potto is in the Jungle Trails Africa Building, Blue duiker are behind the scenes, Grey's crowned monkey are in Jungle Trails, and the new zeland scaulp are in Roo Valley. Aardwolf is usually active first thing in the morning and near closing time. All of those species are pretty easy to see.

8. New wolf exhibit will open once bear ridge is done but not sure when exactly, my guess would be around late 2026 to 2027. The new Jungle Trails habitat will be open within the next few weeks as construction has finished and the animals will soon be introduced.

9. Ajani will be leaving sooner and Seyia is currently at the former Elephant Reserve until the zoo she is going to has finished building their habitat not sure what date though exactly but their will be rhinos at the zoo in time for your visit.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much @Jonathan Petersson!
A shame that the newt is off-exhibit, it's a very rare animal, but thanks for the confirmation.
Happy to see that there's progress on the otter/bear exhibits, I just can't wait to see fuzzy sea otter at Cincy! I agree that the bear exhibit is not the best, a bit narrow imo, but let's see how many animals it will hold (and it's still an improvement from their old black bear grotto). Do you know that the otter pool is deep, or is it shallow?
Thanks :).
 
Panda_Fan said:
Thank you very much @Jonathan Petersson!
A shame that the newt is off-exhibit, it's a very rare animal, but thanks for the confirmation.
Happy to see that there's progress on the otter/bear exhibits, I just can't wait to see fuzzy sea otter at Cincy! I agree that the bear exhibit is not the best, a bit narrow imo, but let's see how many animals it will hold (and it's still an improvement from their old black bear grotto). Do you know that the otter pool is deep, or is it shallow?
Thanks :).
Click to expand...
Definitely an improvement but would prefer the zoo does not bring bears back if this is how they want to house them. It is exactly the same as it was for the polar bears so around twelve feet deep.
 
Jonathan Petersson said:
Definitely an improvement but would prefer the zoo does not bring bears back if this is how they want to house them. It is exactly the same as it was for the polar bears so around twelve feet deep.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's unfurtunate the desire of the ABC animals that sometimes a zoo wants them just for the sake of having them. Let's just hope that few animals are displayed there just to give more space. Happy to see that the otter have a deep pool, it will be fun seeing them swimming!
 
Panda_Fan said:
First construction update of Bear Ridge and Sea Otter Coast!
Love the sea otter exhibit, and it seems that the bears are getting some places to hide, so that's a plus. Also, I think that the renderings shown are new, but I'm not sure.
Click to expand...

Way less worried about the size of these exhibits after watching this! Awesome that Cincy keeps finding a way to make these improvements while landlocked.
 
zoo fan55 said:
Oh man I forgot about that one there hardly ever out but I think it has to be 90+degrees for them to be out
Click to expand...
Do you know if this is a confirmed zoo rule? Recent or old? Looking over some of my photos and past weather records it appears I've seen them outside in the low 80s.
 
Moebelle said:
Do you know if this is a confirmed zoo rule? Recent or old? Looking over some of my photos and past weather records it appears I've seen them outside in the low 80s.
Click to expand...
I really don't know but I have only seen the komodo dragons outside twice and when I have seen them was the middle of summer and that was when Hugo was there
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top