Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is the second-oldest zoo
in the United States and is located in Cincinnati
, Ohio
. It opened in 1875, just 14 months after the Philadelphia Zoo
on July 1, 1874. The Reptile House is the oldest zoo building in the United States, dating from 1875.
The Cincinnati Zoo is located in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Avondale
. It was founded on 65.4 acres (26.5 ha) in the middle of the city, and since then it has acquired some of the surrounding blocks and several reserves in Cincinnati's outer suburbs. The zoo conducts breeding programs, and was the first to successfully breed California Sea Lion
s. The zoo also has other breeding programs including Cheetah
s, Sumatran rhinoceros
, Malayan tiger
s, Western Lowland Gorilla
s, Potto
s, and Masai giraffe
s. The Cincinnati Zoo was the home of Martha
, the last living passenger pigeon
, which died there in 1914. It was also home to the last living Carolina parakeet
in 1918.
The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA), and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(WAZA).
The Zoological Society of Cincinnati established a zoo, consisting of just over sixty-six acres in Blakely Woods. The land was purchased by Andrew Erkenbrecher and leased to the Zoological Society for 99 years. This site was acquired in 1874 and the zoo officially opened its doors to the public on September 18, 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden the second oldest intentionally constructed zoo
in the United States. The Zoo opened with 769 animals on display. Admission was 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children.
Founded by Jonathan Schoonover of Cincinnati and designed by the landscape engineer
Theodor Fundeisen, The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden was originally named the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens. Architect
James W. McLaughlin
, who constructed the zoo's first buildings, designed the earliest completed zoological exhibits in the United States
. The Zoo's original animal collection consisted of eight monkeys, two Grizzly bear
s, three White-tailed deer
, six raccoons, two elk
, a buffalo
, a Spotted Hyena
, a tiger, an American alligator
, a circus elephant, and over four hundred birds, including a crow
. The zoo also is home to some common peafowls.
The first guide book about the Cincinnati Zoo was written in 1876 in German. The founders of the zoo, including its first general manager, were German immigrants and the city had quite a large German-speaking population. The first English-language edition (illustrated) was published in 1893.
In 1878 the first sea lion was born in captivity, and the first pair of giraffes were acquired by the zoo (Daisy and Abe).
In its first 20 years the zoo experienced many financial difficulties, and despite selling 22 acres (8.9 ha) to pay off debt in 1886, it went into receivership in 1898. The Cincinnati Zoological Company was able to bring the zoo out of receivership and keep it going. The Cincinnati Traction Company purchased it in 1901 and operated the zoo for 16 years. In 1917, the Cincinnati Zoological Park Association, funded by donations from philanthropists Mary Emery and Anna Sinton Taft, took over management of the zoo. In 1932 the city purchased the zoo and now runs it through the Board of Park Commissioners.
In 1931 the zoo procured what was at the time the only trained Gorilla in the world. Suzie was originally captured in the Belgian Congo, and brought to the United States on Graf Zeppelin
in August 1929. When she arrived at the zoo, Suzie had just finished a tour of North America. Although experts had said she had no more than six months to live when she arrived in America, she lived for 21 years and died at the Cincinnati zoo on October 29, 1947. Her body was donated to the University of Cincinnati, where her skeleton was used for many years, and destroyed in a fire in 1974.
In 1951 the original Monkey House was converted into the Reptile House.
In addition to its live animal exhibits, the zoo houses refreshments stands, a dance hall, roads, walkways, and picnic grounds. Between 1920 and 1972, the Cincinnati Summer Opera performed in an open-air pavilion and were broadcast by NBC radio.
In 1987, the zoo was designated as a National Historic Landmark due to its significant architecture featured in the Elephant House, the Reptile House, and the Passenger Pigeon Memorial. The Zoo's Reptile House is the oldest existing Zoo building in the country, dating from 1875.
on display, and after losing its last aye-aye in 1993, it finally acquired another in 2011: a 6-year old transferred from the Duke Lemur Center
in North Carolina.
in a zoo, as well as four passenger pigeons. This was followed in 1882 with the first American bison
born in captivity.
In 1981 the zoo established the Carl H. Lindner Jr. Family Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife for the purpose of using science and technology to understand, preserve, and propagate endangered flora and fauna and facilitate the conservation of global biodiversity.
In its Frozen Zoo
plays a major role. In it are stored over 2,500 specimens representing approximately 60 animal and 65 plant species.
s, a new Greater Flamingo
and an East African Crowned Crane
exhibit and a new and improved Cheetah Encounter. When completed, the African Savannah will feature Olive Baboon
s, African Wild Dogs, a new Cheetah
exhibit, a hoof stock yard that will contain various Antelope
(Lesser Kudu
, Bontebok
, and Common Eland
have been rumored), Grévy's Zebra
s, Kori Bustard
s and Ostrich
es, and Nile Hippos
will also be exhibited. There will also be a new restaurant, and kopje exhibit. There is a possibility that the Slender-tailed Meerkats
will return for the exhibit. Rumors of a walk-through Impala
exhibit have also floated about. The exhibit will occupy what formerly was the main zoo parking lot off Dury Avenue.
Kroger and Pepsico teamed up together to donate a check to the zoo for $1,000,000, to go towards the Africa. The next phase, which is phase III, which is a wider vista that will offer visitors the opportunity to see African primates such as Olive baboon
s, Africa’s most endangered predator, the African wild dog
, and a mixed herd of antelope (for most of the antelopes listed above), with some of Africa’s most spectacular birds, such as Ostrich
, Grey Crowned Crane
, and Marabou Stork
. Overlooking Africa will be a new dining concept that will be without rival in the region. This indoor and outdoor facility will include group rental facilities as well as an African-themed restaurant for visitors. With $4.3 million still needed to complete Phase III, the Zoo expects Africa to open in 2014.
A final $7 million phase IV will bring Nile Hippos
, one of the most remarkable and fearsome creatures in all of Africa. The hippo area will give visitors a dramatic experience by providing both above- and below-water viewing – a much anticipated and desired exhibit by Zoo visitors.
exhibit will be expanded. The Night Hunters exhibit is phase one of a larger outdoor Cat Canyon expansion which is scheduled to open by May 2012. The expanded Cat Canyon will link the Night Hunters experience with the current Tiger Canyon exhibits and include new space for Malayan tiger
s, Pumas and Snow Leopard
s. The Cat Canyon expansion is set to start on September 6, following Labor Day Weekend, and be finished in early summer 2012. During construction, the area behind Night Hunters will close and the large cats that are currently there will be off exhibit until Cat Canyon reopens. Parts of the path that winds around the “Veldt” (Rhino Reserve) will also be closed during construction.
The expanded Cat Canyon will link the Night Hunters experience with the current Tiger Canyon exhibits and will include a watering hole for the tigers. There will also be a new facility for snow leopards. Cat Canyon aims to further commitment to the conservation of threatened species through education and scientific research and support of conservation in the wild.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in the United States and is located in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It opened in 1875, just 14 months after the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...
on July 1, 1874. The Reptile House is the oldest zoo building in the United States, dating from 1875.
The Cincinnati Zoo is located in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Avondale
Avondale, Cincinnati, Ohio
Avondale is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. It is home to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. It has 18,706 residents, making it Cincinnati's fourth largest neighborhood....
. It was founded on 65.4 acres (26.5 ha) in the middle of the city, and since then it has acquired some of the surrounding blocks and several reserves in Cincinnati's outer suburbs. The zoo conducts breeding programs, and was the first to successfully breed California Sea Lion
California Sea Lion
The California sea lion is a coastal sea lion of western North America. Their numbers are abundant , and the population continues to expand about 5% annually. They are quite intelligent and can adapt to man-made environments...
s. The zoo also has other breeding programs including Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s, Sumatran rhinoceros
Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran Rhinoceros is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. It is the only extant species of the genus Dicerorhinus. It is the smallest rhinoceros, although is still a large mammal. This rhino stands high at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length of ...
, Malayan tiger
Malayan Tiger
The Malayan tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula and has been classified as endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population was estimated at 493 to 1,480 adult individuals in 2003; none of the three subpopulations likely harbors more than 250...
s, Western Lowland Gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
s, Potto
Potto
The potto is a strepsirrhine primate from the Lorisidae family. It is the only species in genus Perodicticus...
s, and Masai giraffe
Masai Giraffe
The Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe is the largest subspecies of giraffe and the tallest land mammal. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.-Description:...
s. The Cincinnati Zoo was the home of Martha
Martha (passenger pigeon)
Martha was the last known living passenger pigeon; she was named "Martha" in honor of Martha Washington....
, the last living passenger pigeon
Passenger Pigeon
The Passenger Pigeon or Wild Pigeon was a bird, now extinct, that existed in North America and lived in enormous migratory flocks until the early 20th century...
, which died there in 1914. It was also home to the last living Carolina parakeet
Carolina Parakeet
The Carolina Parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. It was found from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and lived in old forests along rivers. It was the only species at the time classified in the genus Conuropsis...
in 1918.
The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA), and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is the "umbrella" organisation for the world zoo and aquarium community. Its mission is to provide leadership and support for zoos, aquariums, and partner organizations of the world in animal care and welfare, conservation of biodiversity, environmental...
(WAZA).
History
In 1872, Andrew Erkenbrecher and several other residents created the Society for the Acclimatization of Birds in Cincinnati to acquire insect-eating birds to control a severe outbreak of caterpillars. A collection of approximately 1,000 birds imported from Europe in 1872 was housed in Burnet Woods before being released. The 'Acclimatization Society of Cincinnati' was established in 1873 as similar organizations with imperial aims proliferated in Moscow, Berlin, London and Melbourne in the late nineteenth century.The Zoological Society of Cincinnati established a zoo, consisting of just over sixty-six acres in Blakely Woods. The land was purchased by Andrew Erkenbrecher and leased to the Zoological Society for 99 years. This site was acquired in 1874 and the zoo officially opened its doors to the public on September 18, 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden the second oldest intentionally constructed zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in the United States. The Zoo opened with 769 animals on display. Admission was 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children.
Founded by Jonathan Schoonover of Cincinnati and designed by the landscape engineer
Landscape engineering
Landscape engineering or landscaping is the application of mathematics and science to shape land and waterscapes. It can also be described as green engineering, but the design professionals best known for landscape engineering are landscape architects...
Theodor Fundeisen, The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden was originally named the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens. Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
James W. McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin was a Cincinnati, Ohio architect. He studied to be an architect working under famed James Keys Wilson. He fought in the American Civil War serving in the Union Army. He become a popular builder in Cincinnati during the late 19th century...
, who constructed the zoo's first buildings, designed the earliest completed zoological exhibits in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Zoo's original animal collection consisted of eight monkeys, two Grizzly bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
s, three White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, six raccoons, two elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, a buffalo
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
, a Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...
, a tiger, an American alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
, a circus elephant, and over four hundred birds, including a crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
. The zoo also is home to some common peafowls.
The first guide book about the Cincinnati Zoo was written in 1876 in German. The founders of the zoo, including its first general manager, were German immigrants and the city had quite a large German-speaking population. The first English-language edition (illustrated) was published in 1893.
In 1878 the first sea lion was born in captivity, and the first pair of giraffes were acquired by the zoo (Daisy and Abe).
In its first 20 years the zoo experienced many financial difficulties, and despite selling 22 acres (8.9 ha) to pay off debt in 1886, it went into receivership in 1898. The Cincinnati Zoological Company was able to bring the zoo out of receivership and keep it going. The Cincinnati Traction Company purchased it in 1901 and operated the zoo for 16 years. In 1917, the Cincinnati Zoological Park Association, funded by donations from philanthropists Mary Emery and Anna Sinton Taft, took over management of the zoo. In 1932 the city purchased the zoo and now runs it through the Board of Park Commissioners.
In 1931 the zoo procured what was at the time the only trained Gorilla in the world. Suzie was originally captured in the Belgian Congo, and brought to the United States on Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin
LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German built and operated passenger-carrying hydrogen-filled rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a Graf or Count in the German nobility. During its operating life,...
in August 1929. When she arrived at the zoo, Suzie had just finished a tour of North America. Although experts had said she had no more than six months to live when she arrived in America, she lived for 21 years and died at the Cincinnati zoo on October 29, 1947. Her body was donated to the University of Cincinnati, where her skeleton was used for many years, and destroyed in a fire in 1974.
In 1951 the original Monkey House was converted into the Reptile House.
In addition to its live animal exhibits, the zoo houses refreshments stands, a dance hall, roads, walkways, and picnic grounds. Between 1920 and 1972, the Cincinnati Summer Opera performed in an open-air pavilion and were broadcast by NBC radio.
In 1987, the zoo was designated as a National Historic Landmark due to its significant architecture featured in the Elephant House, the Reptile House, and the Passenger Pigeon Memorial. The Zoo's Reptile House is the oldest existing Zoo building in the country, dating from 1875.
Animals and exhibits
Animals at the zoo have held several records, including the longest living alligator in captivity at the time (at about 70 years of age), the fastest cheetah in captivity, and the largest Komodo dragon (who died in 2005). The zoo was the first in the United States to put an aye-ayeAye-aye
The aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
on display, and after losing its last aye-aye in 1993, it finally acquired another in 2011: a 6-year old transferred from the Duke Lemur Center
Duke Lemur Center
The Duke Lemur Center is an sanctuary for rare and endangered prosimian primates, located at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. It is the largest sanctuary for prosimian primates in the world....
in North Carolina.
Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW)
The Cincinnati zoo has been active in breeding animals to help save species, starting as early as 1880 with the first hatching of a Trumpeter SwanTrumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird, if measured in terms of weight and length, and is the largest living waterfowl species on earth. It is the North American counterpart of the European Whooper Swan.-Description:Males typically measure from and weigh...
in a zoo, as well as four passenger pigeons. This was followed in 1882 with the first American bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
born in captivity.
In 1981 the zoo established the Carl H. Lindner Jr. Family Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife for the purpose of using science and technology to understand, preserve, and propagate endangered flora and fauna and facilitate the conservation of global biodiversity.
In its Frozen Zoo
Frozen zoo
A frozen zoo is a storage facility in which genetic materials taken from animals are gathered and thereafter stored at very low temperatures for optimal preservation over a long period of time...
plays a major role. In it are stored over 2,500 specimens representing approximately 60 animal and 65 plant species.
Africa
The Zoo is currently building the 8 acres (3.2 ha) Africa Savannah exhibit, which will be the largest animal exhibit in the Zoo's history. Phase I, the first of the four phases, includes an expanded yard for Masai GiraffeMasai Giraffe
The Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe is the largest subspecies of giraffe and the tallest land mammal. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.-Description:...
s, a new Greater Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
and an East African Crowned Crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
exhibit and a new and improved Cheetah Encounter. When completed, the African Savannah will feature Olive Baboon
Olive Baboon
The olive baboon , also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae . The species is the most widely spread of all baboons: it is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending south from Mali to Ethiopia and to Tanzania. Isolated populations are also found in some...
s, African Wild Dogs, a new Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
exhibit, a hoof stock yard that will contain various Antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
(Lesser Kudu
Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is a forest antelope found in East Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The southern lesser kudu is a subspecies found in Kenya and Tanzania....
, Bontebok
Bontebok
The Bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The Bontebok has two subspecies; the endangered Bontebok , occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the Blesbok occurring in the highveld.The Bontebok stands 80 to 100 cm at the shoulder and...
, and Common Eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
have been rumored), Grévy's Zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
s, Kori Bustard
Kori Bustard
The Kori Bustard is a large bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family. It may be the heaviest bird capable of flight....
s and Ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es, and Nile Hippos
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
will also be exhibited. There will also be a new restaurant, and kopje exhibit. There is a possibility that the Slender-tailed Meerkats
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
will return for the exhibit. Rumors of a walk-through Impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
exhibit have also floated about. The exhibit will occupy what formerly was the main zoo parking lot off Dury Avenue.
Kroger and Pepsico teamed up together to donate a check to the zoo for $1,000,000, to go towards the Africa. The next phase, which is phase III, which is a wider vista that will offer visitors the opportunity to see African primates such as Olive baboon
Olive Baboon
The olive baboon , also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae . The species is the most widely spread of all baboons: it is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending south from Mali to Ethiopia and to Tanzania. Isolated populations are also found in some...
s, Africa’s most endangered predator, the African wild dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
, and a mixed herd of antelope (for most of the antelopes listed above), with some of Africa’s most spectacular birds, such as Ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, Grey Crowned Crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
, and Marabou Stork
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
. Overlooking Africa will be a new dining concept that will be without rival in the region. This indoor and outdoor facility will include group rental facilities as well as an African-themed restaurant for visitors. With $4.3 million still needed to complete Phase III, the Zoo expects Africa to open in 2014.
A final $7 million phase IV will bring Nile Hippos
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
, one of the most remarkable and fearsome creatures in all of Africa. The hippo area will give visitors a dramatic experience by providing both above- and below-water viewing – a much anticipated and desired exhibit by Zoo visitors.
Cat Canyon
Once the Night Hunters building transformation is complete, the Nocturnal House Closed. The Nocturnal House will unfortunately be turned into offices, and the back wall of the indoor Komodo dragonKomodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
exhibit will be expanded. The Night Hunters exhibit is phase one of a larger outdoor Cat Canyon expansion which is scheduled to open by May 2012. The expanded Cat Canyon will link the Night Hunters experience with the current Tiger Canyon exhibits and include new space for Malayan tiger
Malayan Tiger
The Malayan tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula and has been classified as endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population was estimated at 493 to 1,480 adult individuals in 2003; none of the three subpopulations likely harbors more than 250...
s, Pumas and Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s. The Cat Canyon expansion is set to start on September 6, following Labor Day Weekend, and be finished in early summer 2012. During construction, the area behind Night Hunters will close and the large cats that are currently there will be off exhibit until Cat Canyon reopens. Parts of the path that winds around the “Veldt” (Rhino Reserve) will also be closed during construction.
The expanded Cat Canyon will link the Night Hunters experience with the current Tiger Canyon exhibits and will include a watering hole for the tigers. There will also be a new facility for snow leopards. Cat Canyon aims to further commitment to the conservation of threatened species through education and scientific research and support of conservation in the wild.
See also
- Cincinnati Zoo Historic StructuresCincinnati Zoo Historic StructuresThe Cincinnati Zoo Historic Structures are a set of historic buildings at the Cincinnati Zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since February 27, 1987....
- List of botanical gardens in the United States