The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, located in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

is a member of the

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the "umbrella" organization 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 ...

(WAZA), and is accredited by the

Association of Zoos and Aquariums The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA), is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aqu ...

(AZA). The Toledo Zoo &

Aquarium An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...

, rated the top zoo in the country, houses over 10,000 individual animals from 720 species and participates in around 80

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

survival programs.

History

1900–1920

The Toledo Zoo began in 1900 when a

woodchuck The groundhog (''Marmota monax''), also known as the woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. A lowland creature of North America, it is found through much of the Easte ...

was donated by Megan Cole to the Walbridge Park. By the end of its first year, the Toledo Zoo had a collection of 39 animals, most of which were donated. The park was unprepared for these donations and was forced to use temporary housing such as ravines and boxes for exhibits. In November 1901, the Toledo Zoo nearly lost its entire collection when the winter housing for the animals caught fire. As a result, in 1907, the Toledo Zoo built its first brick building for housing animals, known as the Lion House. During the early years at the Toledo Zoo, most animals were acquired through donations and

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...

es, and, due to a lack of proper housing, animal escapes were common. In June 1913, the Toledo Zoological Society (TZS) was founded to spur development with William H. Roemer serving as the first president. By 1916, the Toledo Zoo had grown to a population of 471 animals. In 1922, a change to the organizational structure of the zoo occurred when Percy Jones, the TZS president, created the role of Zoo Director, also known as the Curator of the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. Frank Skeldon was the first curator for the zoo. Jones and Skeldon pushed the zoo towards national recognition.

1920–1929: Before the Great Depression

Elephant House now used as Event Space at the Toledo Zoo

Carnivore Cafe - The Original Carnivora House at the Toledo Zoo

The architectural style used in the first strategic plan for the zoo was inspired by the

Spanish architecture Spanish architecture refers to architecture in any area of what is now Spain, and by Spanish architects worldwide, influencing mainly areas of what was once part of the Spanish Empire. The term includes buildings which were constructed within t ...

of the city's namesake,

Toledo, Spain Toledo ( ; ) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, the capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla� ...

. By 1924, they had completed the first building of their master plan, the Elephant House. To maintain funding for the zoo, Jones had brokered a deal with the City of Toledo so that it could be managed similarly to the

Bronx Zoo The Bronx Zoo (also historically the Bronx Zoological Park and the Bronx Zoological Gardens) is a zoo within Bronx Park in the Bronx, New York City. It is one of the largest zoos in the United States by area and the largest Metropolis, metropol ...

. The Toledo Zoo became a public/private venture in 1926, allowing financial support from the city while leaving operations in the hands of the TZS. In 1928, they completed their second building, the Herbivora (Giraffe House). On Christmas Day 1927, the Carnivora Building was opened to the public, after groundbreaking was done by

Kermit Roosevelt Kermit Roosevelt Sr. Military Cross, MC (October 10, 1889 – June 4, 1943) was an American businessman, soldier, explorer, and writer. A son of Theodore Roosevelt, the List of Presidents of the United States, 26th President of the United State ...

. In 1929, the Toledo Zoo completed its last building before the WPA Era, the Primate House.

1930–1940: The WPA era

The Original part of the Museum of Science

During the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, the Toledo Zoo was able to take advantage of government programs to provide labor. With the remainder of their master plan nearing completion, Skeldon, Jones, and Colonel John S. Shelter brokered a deal with the federal government to use depression-era relief efforts to create jobs. In 1934, construction began on the first

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...

(WPA) building in the zoo, the Reptile House. Federal funding would only cover labor costs, so the Toledo Zoo had to salvage parts from unused structures. Skeldon created multiple agreements that allowed the Toledo Zoo the right to salvage as long as they cleared the land. In the end, the Toledo Zoo was able to salvage all the stonework, lumber, and radiators needed to begin construction of the Reptilia (Reptile House). The Reptile House was officially opened in September 1934, to house over 485 reptiles and amphibians. The same day, groundbreaking took place for the next two relief effort buildings, the Museum of Science and the attached Amphitheater. In July 1936, the outdoor Amphitheater was completed, followed closely behind by the indoor theater in October 1936, and the Museum of Science in May 1938. The Aves (Aviary) started construction in 1935 and was officially opened to the public in May 1937. Like other WPA buildings, it was also built from salvaged material but was the first building in the nation to use glass blocks for walls. The final WPA project to open was the Aquarium. It was the first public aquarium in the state of Ohio, the largest freshwater aquarium in the world, and the 30,000th completed WPA project in the state. All of these structures remain in use at the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium today, and it may be the largest collection of these Depression Era relief buildings still in place today. Additional WPA projects at the zoo included new entrances, the Anthony Wayne Subway, and a wall dividing the Amphitheater from the zoo. Original Carousel at the Toledo Zoo

1940–1980: Post-war era

At the end of the WPA era, with the passing of Percy Jones and Frank Skeldon in the 1940s, the Toledo Zoo was ushered into a new post-war era. In 1946, the Toledo Zoo began to invest in amusement with a

ridable miniature railway A ridable miniature railway (US: riding railroad or grand scale railroad) is a large scale, usually ground-level railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are often models of full-sized railway locomotives (powered by diesel or pet ...

. In honor of the 50th anniversary in 1949–1950, the Toledo Zoo launched its current publication, ''Safari Magazine''. In 1953, the Toledo Zoo housed 3,537 animals. By the end of the 1950s, the Toledo Zoo had created new pens, a gibbon run, and new exhibits along the northern edge of the zoo. A highlight was the indoor

trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...

run, thought to be the only one in America, opened in 1959. In 1963, they continued to expand with the development of interconnecting water pools for waterfowl and a pond for flamingos. The 1960s also sent the Toledo Zoo on safari to South America to help celebrate the 125th anniversary of the ''

Toledo Blade ''The Blade'', also known as the ''Toledo Blade'', is a newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, published daily online and printed Thursday and Sunday by Block Communications. The newspaper was first published on December 19, 1835. Overview The first issu ...

''. It was during that safari that the staff of the Toledo Zoo were able to capture 75 new species for display. Toledo Zoo Conservatory

1980–2000: Renaissance

Toledo Zoo pedestrian bridge - west Anthony Wayne Trail - fall

At the beginning of the 1980s the Toledo Zoo faced a potential closure. With an agreement created by Jones, the zoo was financially tied to a city in a financial crisis. Massive layoffs ensued and a staff of 70 was reduced to 24. With the passage of a zoo levy in November 1980, they were still left in the face of probable closure. The levy was for capital improvements only, so the money could not be used on animal care, staff members, or other items needed to run the zoo. As a result, the Museum of Science and the conservatory were closed. To add to the problems, Skeldon was set to retire at the end of the year, and they had not yet found a replacement director. In January 1981, William "Bill" Dennler accepted the position and became the director of the Toledo Zoo. In the early 80s, the WPA buildings were carefully restored, and in 1983 a children's zoo was opened. The Aquarium had two major incidents occur during the 1980s. Because of the success of the Hippoquarium exhibit and a hippo birth caught on tape, the Toledo Zoo was allowed to exhibit two

giant panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its white animal coat, coat with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs and shoulders. ...

s on loan from the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. The panda pair arrived in May 1988 and were exhibited through October 1988. The loan was challenged by the

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the ...

, as well as the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, through a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. Additional lawsuits followed, but the loan of the pandas remained intact and the lawsuits were settled. This outcry of debate dissolved the relationship with the People's Republic of China, and it was not until 1998 that they allowed another loan of pandas to the US, via the

San Diego Zoo The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in San Diego, California, United States, located in Balboa Park (San Diego), Balboa Park. It began with a collection of animals left over from the 1915 Panama–California Exposition that were brought together by its ...

2000–current

After celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Toledo Zoo, the zoo faced controversy after the death of a female

sloth bear The sloth bear (''Melursus ursinus''), also known as the Indian bear, is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. It feeds on fruits, ants and termites. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of ...

by dehydration in 2000. After investigation, the zoo was fined by the FDA and was required to put into effect an animal reporting system to better track any issues on animal concerns. The Toledo Zoo opened the Africa! exhibit in 2001 and a wolf exhibit expected to be finished the following year. By 2003, the Toledo Zoo breeding programs took off, with the births of

s, elephants, tigers, and other animals. The successful birth of the African elephant was historic as there had only been 12 births in the US since 1995. The projects at the zoo have continued with the redesigning of the Museum of Science from 2017 to 2019. Upon breaking ground,

ProMedica ProMedica is a non-profit health care system with locations in northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan, and southern Pennsylvania. The system includes a health education and research center, the health maintenance organization Paramount Health Care, ...

donated $3.5 million to the project. In 2018, the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium reopened its underground subway crossing during the Lights Before Christmas.

Exhibits

Africa

Africa opened on May 1, 2004, and is large. The main exhibit, the African plains, is in size. It has artificial termite mounds for the free-roaming African animals, such as the Grant's zebra,

greater kudu The greater kudu (''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'') is a large woodland antelope, found throughout East Africa, eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory (animal), territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas d ...

helmeted guineafowl The helmeted guinea fowl (''Numida meleagris'') is the best known of the guinea fowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus ''Numida''. It is native to Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, and has been widely introduced, as ...

Dama gazelle The dama gazelle (''Nanger dama''), also known as the addra gazelle or mhorr gazelle, is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa, in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. A critically endangered species, it has disappeared from most of its former ra ...

Masai giraffe The Masai giraffe (''Giraffa tippelskirchi''), also spelled Maasai giraffe, and sometimes called the Kilimanjaro giraffe, is a species or subspecies of giraffe. It is native to East Africa. The Masai giraffe can be found in central and southern K ...

white-backed vulture The white-backed vulture (''Gyps africanus'') is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the most common vulture species in the continent of Africa. Description The white-ba ...

, ostrich, watusi cattle,

warthog ''Phacochoerus'' is a genus in the family Suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced ''wart-hog''). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-Saharan Africa. The two species were formerly cons ...

s, and

blue wildebeest The blue wildebeest (''Connochaetes taurinus''), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded gnu or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest. It is placed in the genus ''Connochaetes'' and Family (biology), ...

. There is also a section for cheetahs. The exhibit has an

observation deck An observation deck, observation platform, or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure, such as a skyscraper or observation tower. Observation decks are sometimes enclosed from we ...

. The exhibit houses the Safari Railway, which circles Africa! The exhibit also has an African animal

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

. Africa! was built on the site of the original gravel parking lot that existed before the bridge was built. In March 2010, a male baby giraffe named Enzi was born. Enzi's father, Mowgli, is another famous giraffe at the zoo. In 2016, the

Houston Zoo The Houston Zoo is a zoological park located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The zoo houses over 6,000 animals from more than 900 species. It receives around 2 million visitors each year and is the second most visited zoo ...

needed the

African wild dog The African wild dog (''Lycaon pictus''), also called painted dog and Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus '' Lycaon'', which is disti ...

s for a breeding recommendation so the zoo replaced them with three young, male cheetahs from the Columbus Zoo. In 2017, two female Masai giraffes were born at the zoo named Kipenzi and Binti. In 2017, the Malawi event center was added in between the indoor Giraffe Exhibit and the children's carousel. It is a rentable space seating 900+ people. It also contains a 14,000 US gallon (52,996 L) aquarium housing native African fish, mostly

cichlids Cichlids () are a large, diverse, and widespread family of Percomorpha, percomorph fish in the family (biology), family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been Binomial nomenclature, scientifically described, making ...

Aquarium

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium has one of the most diverse collections of any zoo-aquarium in the United States. The aquarium closed in October 2012 for renovations and re-opened in March 2015. The updated aquarium contains 3000+ aquatic animals in of water, including the largest tank with . The total water volume is nearly four times as much as the previous aquarium. Two new additions are a large touch tank containing various stingrays and small sharks and a smaller touch tank housing invertebrates, such as multiple species of

starfish Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...

, a wide variety of hermit crabs,

horseshoe crab Horseshoe crabs are arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only surviving xiphosurans. Despite their name, they are not true crabs or even crustaceans; they are chelicerates, more closely related to arachnids like spiders, ticks, and scor ...

s, and pencil sea urchins. The renovations took two and half years and preserved the exterior of the Works Progress Administration era structure.Toledo Zoo - ''Our Animals and Plants'': "Aquarium"
/ref> This area also includes goldfish,

zebra shark The zebra shark (''Stegostoma tigrinum'') is a species of carpet shark and the sole member of the family Stegostomatidae. It is found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, frequenting coral reefs and sandy flats to a depth of . Adult zebra shar ...

s, an

alligator snapping turtle The alligator snapping turtle (''Macrochelys temminckii'') is a large species of turtle in the Family (biology), family Chelydridae. They are the largest freshwater turtle in North America. The species is Endemism, endemic to freshwater habitat ...

blacktip reef shark The blacktip reef shark (''Carcharhinus melanopterus'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family (biology), family Carcharhinidae, which can be easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins (especially on the first dorsal fin and ...

isopod Isopoda is an Order (biology), order of crustaceans. Members of this group are called isopods and include both Aquatic animal, aquatic species and Terrestrial animal, terrestrial species such as woodlice. All have rigid, segmented exoskeletons ...

walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the walleyed pike, yellow pike, yellow pikeperch or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern ...

clownfish Clownfishes or anemonefishes (genus ''Amphiprion'') are saltwater fishes found in the warm and tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. They inhabit mainly coral reefs and have a distinctive colouration typically consisting of white vertical bars on ...

electric eel The electric eels are a genus, ''Electrophorus'', of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae, of which they are the only members of the subfamily Electrophorinae. They are known for their electric fish, ability ...

bichir Bichirs and the reedfish comprise Polypteridae , a family (biology), family of archaic Actinopterygii, ray-finned fishes and the only family in the order (biology), order Polypteriformes .Helfman GS, Collette BB, Facey DE, Bowen BW. 2009. The D ...

, southern stingrays,

channel catfish The channel catfish (''Ictalurus punctatus''), known informally as the "channel cat", is a species of catfish native to North America. They are North America's most abundant catfish species, and the official state fish of Kansas, Missouri, Nebra ...

epaulette shark The epaulette shark ('', Hemiscyllium ocellatum'') is a species of longtailed carpet shark of the family (biology), family Hemiscylliidae, found in shallow, tropical waters off Australia and New Guinea (and possibly elsewhere). The common name o ...

cownose ray The cownose ray (''Rhinoptera bonasus'') is a species found throughout a large part of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, from New England to southern Brazil (the East Atlantic are now generally considered a separate species, the Lusitanian ...

s, a

giant Pacific octopus The giant Pacific octopus (''Enteroctopus dofleini''), also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is a large marine cephalopod belonging to the genus '' Enteroctopus'' and Enteroctopodidae family. Its spatial distribution encompasses much o ...

, horn sharks,

neon tetra The neon tetra (''Paracheirodon innesi'') is a freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae) of order Characiformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to blackwater and clearwater streams in the Amazon basin of South Am ...

Australian lungfish The Australian lungfish (''Neoceratodus forsteri''), also known as the Queensland lungfish, Burnett salmon and barramunda, is the only surviving member of the family Neoceratodontidae. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world. ...

, flashlight fish,

arowana Arowanas are freshwater bony fish of the subfamily Osteoglossinae, also known as bony tongues (the latter name is now often reserved for Arapaiminae). In this family of fish, the head is bony and the elongated body is covered by large, heavy sca ...

Japanese spider crab The Japanese giant spider crab (''Macrocheira kaempferi'') is a species of marine crab and is the biggest one that lives in the waters around Japan. At around 3.7 meters, it has the largest leg-span of any arthropod. The Japanese name for this s ...

s, African lungfish, a shoal of

red-bellied piranha The red-bellied piranha, also known as the red piranha (''Pygocentrus nattereri''), is a Type (biology), type of piranha native to South America, found in the Amazon basin, Amazon, Paraguay River, Paraguay, Paraná River, Paraná and Essequibo Ri ...

s, gar,

Atlantic stingray The Atlantic stingray (''Hypanus sabinus'') is a species of Myliobatiformes, stingray in the family (biology), family Dasyatidae, common along the Atlantic coast of North America from Chesapeake Bay to Mexico, including brackish and freshwater ha ...

arapaima The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is any large species of bonytongue in the genus ''Arapaima'' native to the Amazon Basin, Amazon and Essequibo River, Essequibo basins of South America. ''Arapaima'' is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae ...

, a giant gourami, yellow-spotted rays,

common carp The common carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), also known as European carp, Eurasian carp, or simply carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Ark ...

South American lungfish The South American lungfish (''Lepidosiren paradoxa''), also known as the American mud-fish and scaly salamanderfish, is the single species of lungfish found in swamps and slow-moving waters of the Amazon Basin, Amazon, Paraguay River, Paraguay, ...

, discus,

seahorse A seahorse (also written ''sea-horse'' and ''sea horse'') is any of 46 species of small marine Osteichthyes, bony fish in the genus ''Hippocampus''. The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek (), itself from () meaning "horse" and () meanin ...

s, a wolf eel, as well as jellyfish,

leopard shark The leopard shark (''Triakis semifasciata'') is a species of houndshark, in the family (biology), family Houndshark, Triakidae. It is found along the Pacific coast of North America, from the U.S. state of Oregon to Mazatlán in Mexico. Typically ...

s, garden eels, and a

green turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exte ...

named Tink.

Arctic Encounter

The Arctic Encounter includes grey wolves,

gray Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...

and

harbor seal The harbor (or harbour) seal (''Phoca vitulina''), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared sea ...

s, California sea lions, and

polar bear The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can Hybrid (biology), interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear ...

s. Two waterfalls and seven saltwater streams are featured in this exhibit.Toledo Zoo - ''Our Animals and Plants'': "Arctice Encounter"
/ref> Polar Bear at the Toledo Zoo

The seals have of land and of salt water. The polar bear exhibit includes of land and of water. There is a freshwater stream filled with fish during regular times. A "kids' cave" shows children and adults what it is like to be a polar bear. On January 12, 2015, three more juvenile wolves were added to the zoo after the passing of two of the female wolves. The new male wolves are named Loki, Lobo, and Tundra. On December 1, 2022, it was announced that two cubs were born at the facility for the first time since 2012.

Aviary

Located in the first room of the Aviary are the

demoiselle crane The demoiselle crane (''Grus virgo'') is a species of crane found in central Eurosiberia, ranging from the Black Sea to Mongolia and Northeast China. There is also a small breeding population in Turkey. These cranes are migratory birds. Birds f ...

, blue-throated macaws,

Southern pudu The southern pudu (''Pudu puda'', Mapudungun ''püdü'' or ''püdu'', , ) is a species of South American deer native to the Valdivian temperate forests of south-central Chile and adjacent Argentina. It is classified as Near Threatened in the IUCN ...

, birds from the

Amazon Rainforest The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...

, and

rhinoceros hornbill The rhinoceros hornbill (''Buceros rhinoceros'') is a large species of forest hornbill ( Bucerotidae). In captivity it can live for up to 35 years. It is found in lowland and montane, tropical and subtropical climates and in mountain rain forests ...

s. There is an Australian walkthrough exhibit where people feed either

budgerigar The budgerigar ( ; ''Melopsittacus undulatus''), also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie ( ), is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot native to Australia. Naturally the species is green and yellow with black, scallop ...

s or many of the other bird species in the room. This currently features birds from either Australia, Asia, or Africa, such as Victoria crowned pigeons,

Gouldian finch The Gouldian finch (''Chloebia gouldiae''), also known as the Gould's finch or the rainbow finch, is a colourful passerine bird that is native to Australia. Taxonomy The Gouldian finch was described by British ornithologist John Gould in 1844 ...

es,

spur-winged plover The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (''Vanellus spinosus'') is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. Taxonomy The spur-winged lapwing was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturali ...

, long-tailed finch, red-throated parrotfinch,

Raggiana bird-of-paradise The Raggiana bird-of-paradise (''Paradisaea raggiana''), also known as Count Raggi's bird-of-paradise, is a large bird in the bird-of-paradise family (biology), family Paradisaeidae. It is distributed widely in southern and northeastern New Gui ...

, blue-faced parrot finch,

kagu The kagu or cagou (''Rhynochetos jubatus'') is a crested, long-legged, and bluish-grey bird endemism, endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the genus ''Rhynochetos'' and the family Rhynoche ...

, pheasant pigeons,

Nicobar pigeon The Nicobar pigeon or Nicobar dove (''Caloenas nicobarica'', Car: ') is a bird found on small islands and in coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, east through the Indonesian Archipelago, to the Solomons and Palau. It is ...

scarlet-chested parrot The scarlet-chested parrot (''Neophema splendida''), known alternately as scarlet-breasted parrot, orange-throated parrot or splendid parrot, is a parrot endemic to central South Australia and inland southern Western Australia. The species is sex ...

, owl finch, star finch, pink-necked fruit dove, thick-billed ground pigeon, Luzon bleeding-heart dove, plum-headed finch, Pekin robin, crested wood partridge,

great argus The great argus (''Argusianus argus''), or greater argus, is a large species of pheasant from Southeast Asia. It is known for its impressive plumage and courtship behavior. It is not to be confused with the two species of closely related creste ...

, bearded barbet, violet-backed starling, Madagascar buttonquail, emerald starling, golden-breasted starling, superb starling, and blue-bellied rollers. The children's area includes

emperor tamarin The emperor tamarin (''Saguinus imperator'') is a species of tamarin monkey allegedly named for its beard's resemblance to the German Empire, German List_of_German_monarchs#German_Empire,_1871–1918, emperor Wilhelm II, German Emperor, Wilhelm I ...

s, lowland pacas,

southern three-banded armadillo The southern three-banded armadillo , also known as La Plata three-banded armadillo or Azara's domed armadillo, is an armadillo species from South America. It is found in parts of northern Argentina, southwestern Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, at ...

s, and

Linnaeus's two-toed sloth Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (''Choloepus didactylus''), also known as the southern two-toed sloth, unau, or Linne's two-toed sloth is a species of sloth from South America, found in Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Colombia, Ecuador, Per ...

The Rescue Roost

The

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...

exhibit and rescue is located in the middle of the north side pedestrian ramp to the bridge. The first inhabitants had an injured wing and a blind eye respectively.

Cassowary Crossing

Cassowary Crossing is located near the south-side ramp for the Anthony Wayne Trail Footbridge. The exhibit features the

southern cassowary The southern cassowary (''Casuarius casuarius''), also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary, or two-wattled cassowary, is a large Flightless bird, flightless black bird, found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern ...

Ziems Conservatory

Ziems Conservatory is available year-round for guests to view and learn about plant life. It is also the winter home to the Galapagos tortoise.

Flamingo Key

An outdoor pond area consisting of

flamingos Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...

Dalmatian pelican The Dalmatian pelican (''Pelecanus crispus''), also known as the curly-headed pelican, is the largest member of the pelican family and among the heaviest flying birds in the world. With a wingspan typically ranging between 2.7 and 3.2 meters (8.9� ...

scarlet ibis The scarlet ibis, sometimes called red ibis (''Eudocimus ruber''), is a species of ibis in the bird family Threskiornithidae. It inhabits tropical South America and part of the Caribbean. In form, it resembles most of the other twenty-seven ex ...

es,

roseate spoonbill The roseate spoonbill (''Platalea ajaja'') is a social wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America. The roseate spoonbill's pink color is diet-derived, consisting of ...

s, white-breasted cormorants, and other local native and exotic

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...

including a mudhen.

Kingdom of the Apes

In 1993, the Kingdom of the

Ape Apes (collectively Hominoidea ) are a superfamily of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and Europe in prehistory, and counting humans are found global ...

s exhibit opened. It now holds

Bornean orangutan The Bornean orangutan (''Pongo pygmaeus'') is an orangutan species endemic to the island of Borneo. It belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia and is the largest of the three ''Pongo'' species. It has a coarse, reddish coat and up ...

s and

western lowland gorilla The western lowland gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla gorilla'') is one of two Critically Endangered subspecies of the western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') that lives in Montane ecosystems#Montane forests, montane, Old-growth forest, primary and sec ...

s. The

gorilla Gorillas are primarily herbivorous, terrestrial great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or five su ...

s have Gorilla Meadow, which has an area of . The

orangutan Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus ...

exhibit has a pool in the outdoor space and climbing structures. Two

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...

s, named Fifi and Harvey, used to be on exhibit at the Toledo Zoo. After the death of the chimpanzees from old age in 2009 and 2011, the zoo chose not to continue the chimpanzee exhibit.

ProMedica Museum of Natural History

Opened in 1938 as the Museum of Science, this museum focuses on natural history. The Museum of Science closed in 2017 for a major renovation and reopened on May 31, 2019, as the ProMedica Museum of Natural History. A two-story tropical rainforest atrium that is surrounded by 30-foot trees, bushes, and orchids was added as part of the renovation. The main-level exhibits include Ohio: After the Ice, Rivers & Streams, and Wetland & Lakes. Ohio: After the Ice features dioramas of animals that roamed the land, such as

woolly mammoth The woolly mammoth (''Mammuthus primigenius'') is an extinct species of mammoth that lived from the Middle Pleistocene until its extinction in the Holocene epoch. It was one of the last in a line of mammoth species, beginning with the African ...

s, saber-tooth cats, stag moose,

ground sloth Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. They varied widely in size with the largest, belonging to genera '' Lestodon'', ''Eremotherium'' and ''Megatherium'', being around the size of elephants. ...

s, giant beavers and

American lion The American lion (''Panthera atrox'' (), with the species name meaning "savage" or "cruel", also called the North American lion) is an extinct pantherine cat native to North America during the Late Pleistocene from around 129,000 to 12,800 y ...

s. Oak Forest lets visitors see life from an ant's perspective and features creatures that are hidden such as an

American toad The American toad (''Anaxyrus americanus'') is a common species of toad found throughout Canada and the eastern United States. It is divided into three subspecies: the eastern American toad (''A. a. americanus''), the dwarf American toad (''A. a ...

red-backed salamander The red-backed salamander (''Plethodon cinereus'') is a small, hardy woodland salamander species in the Family (biology), family Plethodontidae. It is also known as the redback salamander, eastern red-backed salamander,Integrated Taxonomic Inform ...

ring-necked snake ''Diadophis punctatus'', commonly known as the ring-necked snake or ringneck snake, is a small, harmless species of colubrid snake found throughout much of the United States, as well as south in Central Mexico and as far north as Quebec, Canada. ...

. Rivers & Streams features salamanders, an

Eastern hellbender The hellbender (''Cryptobranchus alleganiensis''), also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of aquatic giant salamander endemic to the eastern and central United States. It is the largest salamander in North America. A member of the ...

, and a touch tank containing

lake sturgeon The lake sturgeon (''Huso fulvescens''), also known as the rock sturgeon, is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of 27 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is a bottom feeder and has a partly cartilaginous skele ...

. Wetland & Lakes features a rotunda of creatures who live in

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...

including the common watersnake, sunfishes,

minnow Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genus, genera of the family Cyprinidae and in particular the subfamily Leuciscinae. They are also known in Ireland as wikt:pinkeen, pinkeens. While ...

American bullfrog The American bullfrog (''Lithobates catesbeianus''), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, po ...

, and

Blanding's turtle Blanding's turtle (''Emydoidea blandingii)'' is a species of semi-aquatic turtle of the Family (biology), family Emydidae. This species is native to central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States. It is considered to be an endangered s ...

. The upper level focuses on venomous creatures and the exhibits on this floor include Arthodpods, Hall of Venom, Venomous Snakes, and Komodo Dragon. The Komodo Dragon exhibit features two enclosures for the zoo's

Komodo dragon The Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo (island), Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami, and Gili ...

s. Arthropods feature

tarantulas Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Therap ...

velvet ant Velvet ants (Mutillidae) are a family (biology), family of more than 7,000 species of wasps whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Their common name velvet ant refers to their resemblance to an ant, and their dense pile of hair, whic ...

s, black widow,

walking stick A walking stick (also known as a walking cane, cane, walking staff, or staff) is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion acces ...

beetles Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

, and

coconut crab The coconut crab (''Birgus latro'') is a terrestrial species of giant hermit crab, and is also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest terrestrial arthropod known, with a weight up to . The distance from the tip of one leg to ...

. Hall of Venom features the Burmese vine snake,

Gila monster The Gila monster (''Heloderma suspectum'', ) is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexico, Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to long, and it is the only ve ...

, false water cobra, Paradise flying snake, ribbed newts,

lionfish ''Pterois'' is a genus of venomous fish, venomous marine fish, commonly known as the lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. It is characterized by conspicuous aposematism, warning coloration with red or black bands and ostentatious dorsal fins tip ...

stonefish ''Synanceia'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae, the stonefish, which is Taxonomy (biology), classified within the Family (biology), family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfish and relatives. Stone ...

and blue-banded sea krait. Venomous Snakes features such as the

king cobra The king cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah'') is a species complex of snakes Endemism, endemic to Asia. With an average of and a record length of , it is the world's longest venomous snake and among the heaviest. Under the genus ''Ophiophagus'', i ...

black-tailed rattlesnake The black-tailed rattlesnake (''Crotalus molossus'') is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Taxonomy A 2012 r ...

Western diamondback rattlesnake The western diamondback rattlesnake or Texas diamond-backWright AH, Wright AA. (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes''. Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). . (''Crotalus atrox'') is a rattlesnake species and member of the viper family, ...

, Arizona black rattlesnake,

Russell's viper Russell's viper (''Daboia russelii)'' is a species of highly venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Viperidae. The species is native to South Asia. It was Species description, described in 1797 by George Shaw (biologist), George Shaw and ...

, variable bush viper, eastern massasauga, rhinoceros viper and Santa Catalina rattlesnake.

Nature's Neighborhood

Nature's Neighborhood is located next to the Museum of Science. It currently contains African pygmy goats,

silkie chicken The Silkie, also known as the Silky or Chinese silk chicken, is a Chinese breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is soft to the touch, like silk or fur. Other unusual qualities include black skin and bones, blue earlob ...

honeybee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the c ...

leafcutter ant Leafcutter ants are fungus-growing ants that share the behaviour of cutting leaves which they carry back to their nests to farm fungus. Next to humans, leafcutter ants form some of the largest and most complex animal societies on Earth. In a few ...

feathertail glider The feathertail glider (''Acrobates pygmaeus''), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding ...

s, a

tamandua ''Tamandua'' is a genus of anteaters in the Myrmecophagidae family with two species: the southern tamandua (''T. tetradactyla'') and the northern tamandua (''T. mexicana''). They live in forests and grasslands, are semiarboreal, and possess part ...

guinea pig The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy ( ), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus ''Cavia'', family Caviidae. Animal fancy, Breeders tend to use the name "cavy" for the ani ...

crayfish Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some spe ...

corn snake The corn snake (''Pantherophis guttatus''), sometimes called red rat snake is a species of North American rat snake in the Family (biology), family Colubridae. The species subdues its small prey by constriction. It is found throughout the sout ...

cockatiel The cockatiel (; ''Nymphicus hollandicus''), also known as the weero/weiro or quarrion, is a medium-sized parrot that is a member of its own branch of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. They are prized as exotic household pets and compa ...

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...

macaw Macaws are a group of Neotropical parrot, New World parrots that are long-tailed and often colorful, in the Tribe (biology), tribe Arini (tribe), Arini. They are popular in aviculture or as companion parrots, although there are conservation con ...

s, an

opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North A ...

as well as various cats and

rabbit Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also includes the hares), which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated ...

s. The structure features are a Play Stream, Contact Yard, and a large playground. The area is designed with child safety in mind, featuring a "one-way in, one-way out" construction.

Penguin Beach

The Penguin Beach was built in 2014 and features

African penguin The African penguin (''Spheniscus demersus''), also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. It is the only penguin found in the Old World. Like all penguins, it is flightless, ...

s and multiple species of duck including the

long-tailed duck The long-tailed duck (''Clangula hyemalis'') or coween, is a medium-sized sea duck that breeds in the tundra and taiga regions of the arctic and winters along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is the only member of ...

Baer's pochard Baer's pochard (''Aythya baeri'') is a diving duck found in eastern Asia. It is a bird in North and Central China, and formerly bred in southeast Russia and Northeast China, migrating in winter to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India. Baer ...

spectacled eider The spectacled eider (pronounced ) (''Somateria fischeri'') is a large sea duck that breeds on the coasts of Alaska and northeastern Siberia. The spectacled eider is slightly smaller than the common eider at in length. The male is unmistakable ...

, and the

harlequin duck The harlequin duck (''Histrionicus histrionicus'') is a small sea duck. It takes its name from Harlequin (Italian ''Arlecchino'', French ''Arlequin''), a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. The species name comes from the Latin ...

. This is an outdoor exhibit with a little overhead bridge and an underwater viewing area. This exhibit has produced multiple offspring since its opening.

Pheasantry

Located from the right of the Historic Carousel and north from the playground, this exhibit was built during the aquarium renovation to house

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), an informal name for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible hairy fruit with many seeds * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of curren ...

but has also an outdoor viewing of many birds, especially gamebirds including the

Elliot's pheasant Elliot's pheasant (''Syrmaticus ellioti'') is a large pheasant native to south-eastern China. Description Males are up to long; they are brown and white with a black throat, chestnut-brown upper parts, white belly, nape and wing bars, red bare fa ...

green junglefowl The green junglefowl (''Gallus varius''), also known as Javan junglefowl, forktail or green Javanese junglefowl, is the most distantly related and the first to diverge at least 4 million years ago among the four species of the junglefowl. ...

, Berlioz's silver pheasant, Mikado pheasant,

Reeves's pheasant Reeves's pheasant (''Syrmaticus reevesii'') is a large pheasant within the genus ''Syrmaticus''. It is Endemism, endemic to China. It is named after the British people, British natural history, naturalist John Reeves (naturalist), John Reeves, wh ...

Himalayan monal The Himalayan monal (''Lophophorus impejanus''), also called Impeyan monal and Impeyan pheasant, is a pheasant native to Himalayan forests and shrublands at elevations of . It is part of the family Phasianidae and is listed as Least Concern on th ...

, Swinhoe's pheasant, and Edwards's pheasant. Non-gamebirds include the North Island brown kiwi, crested pigeon, white-rumped shama,

tawny frogmouth The tawny frogmouth (''Podargus strigoides'') is a species of frogmouth native to the Australian mainland and Tasmania and found throughout. It is a big-headed, stocky bird often mistaken for an owl due to its nocturnal habits and similar colouri ...

, chestnut-breasted malkoha, spectacled owl,

blue-faced honeyeater The blue-faced honeyeater (''Entomyzon cyanotis''), also colloquially known as the Bananabird, is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae. It is the monotypic taxon, only member of its genus, and it is most closely related to hon ...

Chinese hwamei The Chinese hwamei or melodious laughingthrush (''Garrulax canorus'') is a passerine bird of eastern Asia in the laughingthrush family Leiothrichidae. The name "hwamei" comes from its Chinese name , which means "painted eyebrow", referring to th ...

, red-billed blue magpie, crested coua,

mandarin duck The mandarin duck (''Aix galericulata'') is a perching duck species native to the East Palearctic. It is Sexual dimorphism, sexually dimorphic – the males are elaborately coloured, while the females have more subdued colours. It is a medium- ...

, lesser bird-of-paradise,

snowy owl The snowy owl (''Bubo scandiacus''), also known as the polar owl, the white owl and the Arctic owl, is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mo ...

fawn-breasted bowerbird The fawn-breasted bowerbird (''Chlamydera cerviniventris'') is a medium-sized, up to long, bowerbird with a greyish brown spotted white plumage, a black bill, dark brown iris, yellow mouth and an orange buff below. Both sexes are similar. Th ...

laughing kookaburra The laughing kookaburra (''Dacelo novaeguineae'') is a bird in the kingfisher subfamily Halcyoninae. It is a large robust kingfisher with a whitish head and a brown eye-stripe. The upperparts are mostly dark brown but there is a mottled light ...

, and the

Australian magpie The Australian magpie (''Gymnorhina tibicen'') is a black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea, and introduced to New Zealand, and the Fijian island of Taveuni. Although once considered to be three separate ...

Primate Forest

Located in the Main Plaza, this exhibit holds

ring-tailed lemur The ring-tailed lemur (''Lemur catta'') is a medium- to larger-sized strepsirrhine (wet-nosed) primate and the most internationally recognized lemur species, owing to its long, black-and-white, ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of fiv ...

mongoose lemur The mongoose lemur (''Eulemur mongoz'') is a small primate in the family Lemuridae, native to Madagascar and introduced to the Comoros, Comoros Islands. These arboreal animals have pointed faces, long, bushy tails, dark-brown upper parts, pale be ...

black-and-white colobus Black-and-white colobuses (or colobi) are Old World monkeys of the genus ''Colobus'', native to Africa. They are closely related to the red colobus monkeys of genus '' Piliocolobus''. There are five species of this monkey, and at least eight subs ...

es,

Allen's swamp monkey The Allen's swamp monkey (''Allenopithecus nigroviridis'') is a species of Old World monkey and the only member of the genus ''Allenopithecus''. Phylogenetically, it is a sister clade to the guenons, but differs in dentition and habits. Allen ...

François' langur François' langur (''Trachypithecus francoisi''), also known as Francois' leaf monkey, the Tonkin leaf monkey, or the white side-burned black langur is a species of Old World monkey and the type species of its species group. It is one of the leas ...

red panda The red panda (''Ailurus fulgens''), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzz ...

s, and white-cheeked gibbons. Located near the Primate Forest is the aviary breeding center, which is home to

cinereous vulture The cinereous vulture (''Aegypius monachus''), also known as the black vulture, Eurasian black vulture, and monk vulture, is a very large Raptor (bird), raptor in the family Accipitridae distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. With a body ...

s, waldrapp ibises,

scaly-sided merganser The scaly-sided merganser or Chinese merganser (''Mergus squamatus'') is an endangered typical merganser (genus ''Mergus''). It lives in Manchuria and extreme Southeast Siberia, breeding in the north and wintering in the south. Description Thi ...

crested guineafowl The crested guinea fowl (''Guttera'' sp.) are a group of three species and members of the Numididae, the guinea fowl bird family. They are found in open forest, woodland and forest-savanna mosaics in sub-Saharan Africa. Description They have a t ...

kori bustard The kori bustard (''Ardeotis kori'') is the largest flying bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family (biology), family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World. It is one of ...

white stork The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to en ...

capercaillie ''Tetrao'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily known as capercaillies. They are some of the largest living grouse. Feathers from the bird were used to create the characteristic hat of the bersaglieri, an Italian ace infantry formation. ...

s, and

saddle-billed stork The saddle-billed stork or saddlebill (''Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis'') is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to ...

Reptile House

The Reptile House currently holds 1000 species of snakes, lizards, and a

saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats, brackish wetlands and freshwater rivers from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaland to northern Australia and Micronesia. It ha ...

. Behind it is a Native Ohio Species Area, featuring natural

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

structures and native turtles such as

spiny softshell turtle The spiny softshell turtle (''Apalone spinifera'') is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''spinifer ...

s and

spotted turtle The spotted turtle (''Clemmys guttata''), the only species of the genus ''Clemmys'', is a small, semi-aquatic turtle that reaches a carapace length of upon adulthood. Their broad, smooth, low dark-colored upper shell, or carapace, ranges in its ...

s. Near it is a raptor barn and at the exit is an exhibit for

red-footed tortoise The red-footed tortoise (''Chelonoidis carbonarius'') is a species of tortoise from northern South America. These medium-sized tortoises generally average as adults, but can reach over . They have dark-colored (nearly black), “loaf”-shaped ...

s and

leopard tortoise The leopard tortoise (''Stigmochelys pardalis'') is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape Province. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Stigmochelys' ...

s. Former species include the

Cuban crocodile The Cuban crocodile (''Crocodylus rhombifer'') is a small-medium species of crocodile endemic to Cuba. Typical length is and typical weight . Large males can reach as much as in length and weigh more than . Despite its smaller size, it is a hig ...

, Burmese mountain tortoises,

Chinese alligator The Chinese alligator (; ), also known as the Yangtze alligator (), China alligator, or historically the muddy dragon, is a crocodilian endemic to China. It and the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') are the only living species in th ...

s, and tegus.

Tembo Trail

Tembo Trail is located on the south side of the zoo and is one of the largest areas within the zoo. Tembo Trail currently features

African elephant African elephants are members of the genus ''Loxodonta'' comprising two living elephant species, the African bush elephant (''L. africana'') and the smaller African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''). Both are social herbivores with grey skin. ...

hippo The hippopotamus (''Hippopotamus amphibius;'' ; : hippopotamuses), often shortened to hippo (: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic Mammal, mammal native to su ...

North American river otter The North American river otter (''Lontra canadensis''), also known as the northern river otter and river otter, is a semiaquatic mammal that endemism, lives only on the North American continent throughout most of Canada, along the coasts of the U ...

grizzly bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horr ...

Tasmanian devil The Tasmanian devil (''Sarcophilus harrisii''; palawa kani: ''purinina'') is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It was formerly present across mainland Australia, but became extinct there around 3,500 years ago; it is now con ...

meerkat The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body ...

Bactrian camel The Bactrian camel (''Camelus bactrianus''), also known as the Mongolian camel, domestic Bactrian camel or two-humped camel, is a camel native to the steppes of Central Asia. It has two humps on its back, in contrast to the single-humped drome ...

s, yaks,

naked mole rat The naked mole-rat (''Heterocephalus glaber''), also known as the sand puppy, is a burrowing rodent native to the Horn of Africa and parts of Kenya, notably in Somali regions. It is closely related to the blesmols and is the only species in th ...

s, and a

Kodiak bear The Kodiak bear (''Ursus arctos middendorffi''), also known as the Kodiak brown bear and sometimes the Alaskan brown bear, inhabits the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska. It is one of the largest recognized subspecies or p ...

named Dodge. In the recent past, Tembo Trail has also featured slender-snouted crocodiles, spotted-necked otters, southern white rhinos, dromedaries, and

white lion White Lion is an American glam metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, they released their debut album ''Fight to Survive ...

s on loan from

Siegfried and Roy Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...

. Tembo Trail exhibits an

Indian rhino The Indian rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros unicornis''), also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, great Indian rhinoceros or Indian rhino, is a species of rhinoceros found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the second largest living rhinocer ...

named Aashish who was acquired from The Wilds in early 2018. One of the most famous exhibits within Tembo Trail is the Hippoquarium. The Hippoquarium houses the zoo's two hippos, which can be viewed underwater. The Toledo Zoo was the first to have such viewing of hippos and was also the first to film the underwater birth of a hippo.

Tiger Terrace

Worlds Oldest Andean Bear at the Toledo Zoo

Located near the entrance is an Andean bear named Nieve who, at 29 years old is the oldest recorded female Andean bear on the planet. It also includes Amur tigers,

Patagonian mara The Patagonian mara (''Dolichotis patagonum'') is a relatively large rodent in the mara genus ''Dolichotis''. It is also known as the Patagonian cavy or Patagonian hare. This herbivorous, somewhat rabbit-like animal is found in open and semiopen ...

s, and

North American cougar The North American cougar (''Puma concolor couguar'') is a cougar subspecies in North America. It is the biggest cat in North America (North American jaguars are fairly small), and the second largest cat in the New World. It was once common in e ...

s. It also holds

maned wolves The maned wolf (''Chrysocyon brachyurus'') is a large caninae, canine of South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Paraguay, and is almost extinct in Uruguay. Its markings resemble those of a red fox, but it is neither a ...

and

dingo The dingo (either included in the species ''Canis familiaris'', or considered one of the following independent taxa: ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage ...

es that are located near the ramp for the Anthony Wayne Trail

Footbridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

. Former species have included white-naped cranes and

Snow Leopards

The exhibit features two connected mesh/chain link enclosures. The zoo's breeding pair have produced multiple cubs. A female cub, named Dariga, was born in October 2017. Another female cub, named Babochka, was born in May 2019.

Events and attractions

Aerial Adventure Course

Guests of the zoo can participate in various above-ground adventures in Africa! The Aerial Adventure course includes zip lining, a

sky bridge A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of encl ...

, a quick jump, a flight line, and a challenge course.

African Carousel

Located in Africa!, this merry-go-round is filled with hand-crafted African animals. Aquarium at the Toledo Zoo

Aquarium

Since the reopening and restructuring of the Aquarium, guests can participate in various interactive experiences, including live dive feeding demonstrations, a touch tank, and ocean lab.

Aquarium Adventure Trail

The Aquarium Adventure Trail is a newly installed attraction for kids to cool off during the summer months. It includes a splash pad as well as various other activities for children.

Feast with the Beasts

An evening of dining and animal encounters, the fundraiser also includes an auction and the opportunity to learn more about enrichment and training for the animals. In 2017, this event hosted 137 guests and raised $66,000 for the TZS.

Garden Tours

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium does tours with their horticulture staff to discuss everything gardening. They even include various workshops throughout the year.

The Lights Before Christmas

The Lights Before Christmas is an annual event held by the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium which began in 1986, with only 70,000 bulbs and hosted just as many guests to the zoo. Most summer attractions are closed, but all the buildings and trees are decorated with Christmas lights. It features over one million

Christmas lights Christmas lights (also known as fairy lights, festive lights or string lights) are lights often used for decoration in celebration of Christmas, often on display throughout the Christmas season including Advent and Christmastide. The custom ...

, a winter village including an ice slide and ice bumper cars, the Arctic Blast game, a new light show projected on the carnivore cafe, model trains from the Swanton Area Railroad, and

Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...

. The "Big Tree", an

Norway spruce ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9–17 cm long. It is very clo ...

tree, contains over 35,000 LED lights and has been honored as being ranked in the top 10

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen pinophyta, conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, associated with the celebration of Christmas. It may also consist of an artificial tree of similar appearance. The custom was deve ...

s to see. The main show, Dancing Lights, is near Cheetah Valley. It is repeated several times every night. It uses

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...

wide-angle mini lights that flash along with

Christmas music Christmas music comprises a variety of Music genre, genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas and holiday season, Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or in the case of Christmas ...

.Toledo Zoo - ''Zoo Events'': "Calendar of Events"
/ref> All this is done using nearly of extension cords.
/ref>

Little Boo at the Zoo/Pumpkin Path

This event is held in October yearly for a family friendly Halloween celebration. There is trick or treating, special demonstrations, and the zoo is transformed into a Halloween wonderland. You can also see the animals enjoy the leftover pumpkins as part of their animal enrichment programs.

Luminous Nights

Started in 2017, this fall event lights up the zoo with over 500 hand-made Chinese lanterns. It also includes cultural activities led by international students from the local universities.

Medical Mutual Dart Frog Dash

This yearly run helps with fundraising for the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium as well as conservation efforts. It is a 5K race and a 5K fun run/walk, that takes place through zoo grounds and the surrounding areas. The 2017 Dart Frog Dash had 2,100 participants and raised $62,000 for conservation.

Music Under the Stars

Started in 1936, this summer program features various musical stylings performed by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. It has had performers such as conductor Charles W. Roth, Jules Blair, Fred Seymour, Conductor Samuel P. Szor (who in 2000 celebrated his 48th year of Music Under the Stars), conductor

Leopold Stokowski Leopold Anthony Stokowski (18 April 1882 – 13 September 1977) was a British-born American conductor. One of the leading conductors of the early and mid-20th century, he is best known for his long association with the Philadelphia Orchestra. H ...

and more.

Nature's Neighborhood

Nature's Neighborhood is a hands-on children's exhibit featuring both indoor and outdoor activities. They offer live animal shows, a petting zoo, climbing equipment and various other items to teach conservation and animal care to children.

Once Upon a Vine

This yearly fundraising event is usually held in March at the Toledo Zoo, and includes dinner and a live auction to raise funds for the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. In 2017, the event had 135 guests and raised $63,000 for the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium.

Safari Railway

Since moving the train from the south campus to the north, the Safari Railway allows guests an informational ride around the plains of Africa! exhibit.

Summer Concert Series

Together with Live Nation, the Toledo Zoo hosts a summer series of concerts where well-known acts take over the historic Amphitheater. In 2017, over 18,000 people attended these concerts.

Tower Ridge

Located in Africa!, Tower Ridge allows guests of the zoo, to hand feed the herd of giraffes.

Wild about Art

This summer event is an annual art show available to all zoo guests featuring local and regional artists. The preview to this event featured 115 guests in 2015 and the fundraiser brought $15,000 for the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium.

Wine Tasting

Held in the spring, the annual wine-tasting event allows guests to enjoy various wine samples along with live music.

Zoo Brew

Zoo Brew is an adults-only event, held in the fall, that highlights samples from local Toledo breweries.

ZootoDo

ZootoDo, is one of the most anticipated events held at the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. It is a black tie with tennis shoes affair offering live entertainment, house specialties, and more. It is a fundraising event used for conservation during the summer months. In 2017, the event had 1800 guests and raised $240,000 towards animal conservation.

Conservation efforts

The zoo has several projects around the world working with wildlife and habitats. Zoo employees run the majority of their research abroad, and often participate in expeditions. Some of the most prominent conservation programs are the Aruba island rattlesnake program, West Indian boa conservation, the

Kihansi spray toad The Kihansi spray toad (''Nectophrynoides asperginis'') is a small toad endemic to Tanzania.Channing and Howell. (2006). ''Amphibians of East Africa.'' Pp. 106-107. The species is live-bearing and insectivorous. The Kihansi spray toad is current ...

program (which served to restore a wild population that was declared extinct). The zoo has a department called Wild Toledo, which focuses on local conservation efforts and scientific research. This conservation department works to re-introduce

hellbender The hellbender (''Cryptobranchus alleganiensis''), also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of aquatic giant salamander endemic to the eastern and central United States. It is the largest salamander in North America. A member of the ...

s to their native habitat in southeastern Ohio, release thousands of

monarch butterflies The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. ...

for fall migration, rear the federally endangered Mitchell's satyr butterfly, restore native prairie habitat in urban Toledo, conduct research on the spatial ecology and population dynamic of several species of threatened turtles, conduct health assessments and vaccinations of local mesopredators, research the movement and presence/absence of native Ohio wildlife with trail cameras, conduct vegetation analysis on ecosystems around the region and work to support and restore native pollinators. Wild Toledo runs three summer field camps aimed at 10-13-year-olds interested in field research and conservation. Wild Toledo also has several partnerships with educational facilities within northwest Ohio where native prairies are installed and interpreted for students. Animal Enrichment at the Toledo Zoo

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium also currently works with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums as part of their

Species Survival Plan The American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the (American) Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the w ...

s, in which they breed animals and trade animals with other zoos around the world to reestablish the population of at-risk animals. The purpose of trading and only breeding certain animals is to maintain clean genetics as well as be able to control the population. Current conservation projects at the zoo include the Species Survival Program, Wild Toledo, as well as working in the Arctic with

s and the

Steller's eider Steller's eider (''Polysticta stelleri'') is a migrating Arctic diving duck that breeds along the coastlines of eastern Russia and Alaska. It is the rarest, smallest, and fastest flying of the eider species. Due to the extensive contraction of i ...

, working with Wyoming on a

Wyoming toad The Wyoming toad (''Anaxyrus baxteri)'', also known commonly as Baxter's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The Wyoming toad is an extremely rare amphibian that exists only in captivity and within Mortenson Lake National Wildli ...

effort, Reintroducing the Mitchell's satyr butterflies to Indiana and Michigan, working with Ohio and Mexico on the

monarch butterfly The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. I ...

, a

Cuban boa The Cuban boa (''Chilabothrus angulifer''), also known as the Cuban tree boa and by locals as ''Majá de Santa María'', is a very large species of snake in the Family (biology), family Boidae. With lengths exceeding and a relatively heavy build ...

project in Cuba, the Aruba Island rattlesnake program in Aruba, assisting Michigan with the

piping plover The piping plover (''Charadrius melodus'') is a small sand-colored, Passerellidae, sparrow-sized wader, shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band acro ...

, the Karner blue butterfly program in Michigan and Ohio, multiple projects in Ohio including

s, native prairies,

, turtles, and the Kirtland's snake. Internationally outside of North America, the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium is working on projects involving the

in Tanzania,

snow leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...

in Kyrgyzstan, the

in China, the

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

s in New Zealand, and

Pacific Island The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...

birds.

Accolades and awards

1999

The renovations of the Aviary received an exhibit of the year award from the AZA.

2010–2020

Nature's Neighborhood received an Exhibit of the Year award from the AZA in 2011. The Knot.com named the catering and sales department in their Best of Weddings as Brides' Choice in 2012 and 2013. In 2014 the Toledo Zoo was named the Best Zoo in America by ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...

''. It was also ranked the #2 zoo in America by '' Family Fun Magazine'', and also the 8th most family-friendly attractions. Other areas of the zoo also received special recognition in 2014. The Knot.com named the catering and sales department in their Best of Weddings as Brides' Choice (3rd consecutive year). In addition, the conservation staff was recognized by ''Solar Builder'' magazine, as Project of the Year, as a result of the solar panel array located on the north side of the zoo. The Ohio State House of Representatives also honored the Toledo Zoo as the #1 zoo in the state of Ohio. 2015 was another active year for the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium. Their Lights Before Christmas display was voted #2 best Zoo Lights Display in ''USA Today'', as well as being named in the top 5 Most Beautiful Christmas Trees, for the decoration of their "Big Tree". The conservation team was awarded the Public Agency Native Landscape Award, and was named a standout in Ohio Tourism from Ohiotraveler.com The renovations on the Aquarium also received the 2015 Build Ohio Award The Lights Before Christmas was named the #1 Zoo Lights Display in America by ''USA Today'' in 2016 and 2017. The zoo received an award from the

Ohio Department of Natural Resources The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is the Ohio government agency charged with ensuring "a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all." Functions ODNR regulates Ohio's oil and gas indus ...

Division of Wildlife with the 2017 Wildlife Diversity Conservation Award. In 2018 The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium was named 7th on Ravereviews.com for having "weird animals" among 50 zoos in the US. The Aviary and staff were awarded the Avian Scientific Advisory Group Plume Award. The Lights Before Christmas "Big Tree" also was named one of the top ten travel-worthy Christmas trees to see. The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium has also received the highest rating possible from Charity Navigator.

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Toledo Zoo and Aquarium

Botanical gardens in Ohio {{Commons cat, Botanical gardens in Ohio Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the south ...

Zoos in Ohio 1900 establishments in Ohio Economy of Toledo, Ohio Works Progress Administration in Ohio Tourist attractions in Toledo, Ohio Parks in Toledo, Ohio Educational organizations established in 1900 Zoos established in the 1900s Works Progress Administration in Toledo, Ohio Aquaria in the United States