The Indianapolis Zoo is a non-profit

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility where animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoology, ...

public aquarium A public aquarium () or public water zoo is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, which houses living aquatic animal and aquatic plant, plant specimens for public viewing. Most public aquariums feature tanks larger than those kept by home aquarists, ...

, and

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

, United States. Incorporated in 1944, the Indianapolis Zoological Society established the first zoo at George Washington Park in 1964. The current zoo opened in 1988 at

White River State Park White River State Park is an urban park in downtown Indianapolis, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Situated along the eastern and western banks of its namesake White River (Indiana), White River, the park covers . The park is home to numerous att ...

near

downtown Indianapolis Downtown Indianapolis is a neighborhood area in and the central business district of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Downtown is bordered by Interstate 65 in Indiana, Interstate 65, Interstate 70 in Indiana, Interstate 70, and the White ...

. It is among the largest privately funded zoos in the U.S. The institution 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 ...

and

American Alliance of Museums The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), formerly the American Association of Museums, is a non-profit association whose goal is to bring museums together. Founded in 1906, the organization advocates for museums and provides "museum professionals w ...

and 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 ...

. It was the first in the U.S. to receive triple accreditation as a zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. The zoo is a leader in animal conservation and research, recognized for its biennial

Indianapolis Prize The Indianapolis Prize is a biennial prize awarded by the Indianapolis Zoo to individuals for "extraordinary contributions to conservation efforts" affecting one or more animal species. Overview The Indianapolis Prize was established by the Ind ...

and as home to the Global Center for Species Survival through its partnership with the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...

. In 2020, the zoo housed more than 1,400 animals of 235 species while the adjoining White River Gardens contained more than 50,000 plants of nearly 3,000 species, respectively. The Indianapolis Zoo is a significant economic driver in the city and among its most visited attractions. In 2021, the zoo employed 700 people and welcomed 1.2 million guests, contributing nearly $60 million annually to the city's economy.

Site and access

The Indianapolis Zoo is situated within

, about west of

Monument Circle The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a tall neoclassical monument built on Monument Circle, a circular, brick-paved street that intersects Meridian and Market streets in the center of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. In the years ...

on the eastern edge of the Near Westside neighborhood area. The White River hugs the zoo's northern and eastern boundaries, physically separating the facility from

. Visitors arriving by car access the parking lot from West Washington Street, which forms the zoo's southern boundary. Parking is free for zoo members and $10 for non-members. The zoo is accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, or other non-motorists via the White River Trail which runs between its namesake river and the zoo's property. Public transportation serves the facility via

IndyGo The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, branded as IndyGo, is a public transit agency and municipal corporation of the City of Indianapolis in the U.S. state of Indiana. It operates fixed-route buses, bus rapid transit, microtran ...

's Route 8. The former Washington Street Bridge spanning the White River was completed in 1916 as part of the

National Road The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the federal government. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and was a main tran ...

. In 1984, construction began on the realignment of Washington Street to the south to make way for the zoo's development. The bridge was preserved and renovated in the 1990s to carry non-motorized traffic between downtown and the zoo's east entrance at White River Gardens.

History

Beginnings

Limited in number and species, Indianapolis's earliest captive animals were located in small exhibits at various city parks. Brookside Park was home to a collection of birds, including cockatoos, parrots, and macaws. Garfield Park contained a bear and several monkeys. Riverside Park exhibited a pair of sea lions. By 1906, the Indianapolis Parks Department consolidated the various exhibits into a single site at Riverside. The zoological garden's demise came amid wartime conservation efforts as the U.S. entered

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The park board began selling the animals in 1916 and the zoo was officially closed in 1917. In 1944, Lowell Nussbaum, columnist for the ''

Indianapolis Times The ''Indianapolis Times'' was an evening newspaper that served the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1888 to 1965 when the paper ceased publishing. History The ''Indianapolis Times'' began as the ''Sun'' in 1888, "the only one cent paper ...

'', and later the ''

Indianapolis Star Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of ...

'', began to advocate for a zoo through his column "Inside Indianapolis", which inspired the incorporation of the Indianapolis Zoological Society in October 1944. Soon after, members outlined plans for the zoo. Group members were adamant that "the zoo will rely on admissions, in-park sales, contributions, and memberships to support the zoo". However, it would not be until 20 years later, in 1964, that the zoo would open to the public.

Washington Park

The Indianapolis Zoo opened as Washington Park Children's Zoo on April 18, 1964, at Washington Park on East 30th Street. In its first year, the new attraction drew more than 270,000 visitors. The zoo originally featured an Asian elephant, penguins, kangaroos, foxes, raccoons, camels, bison, deer, lambs, tortoises, llamas, prairie dogs, pygmy goats, and buffalo exhibits. In 1965, the zoo became one of few in the country to employ a full-time education staff. By the 20th anniversary of the zoo, its animal collection had doubled in size and it was determined that the zoo needed a new location where it could continue to expand.

Move to White River State Park

In 1982, international zoo, aquarium, and wildlife authorities gathered to set goals for establishing the new zoo. It was determined that a zoo should not only be a place to see animals, but also an institution of conservation and education. That same year,

was announced as the new site of the zoo. The groundbreaking at the new downtown location was held in September 1985. The old zoo closed in 1987. The current zoo at White River State Park opened on June 11, 1988, with a size of . Jeffrey Bonner began his tenure as the zoo's president and chief executive officer in January 1993. After the construction of the Waters building and the Dolphin Pavilion, the zoo earned AZA accreditation as an aquarium as well as a zoo. In 1996, the Indianapolis Zoo became the first institution to be triple-accredited as a zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. White River Gardens was considered a separate facility from 1999 to 2006, but now is included as part of the zoo. The world's first successful

artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...

of an African elephant occurred at the zoo in 2000.

Time under Michael Crowther (2002–2019)

Michael Crowther was appointed president and chief executive officer of the zoo in June 2002. During his tenure, the zoo experienced a nearly 240 percent increase in annual revenue, a 700 percent increase in the value of its endowment, a 27 percent increase in total assets, and a 34 percent rise in attendance. Under Crowther's leadership, numerous capital projects were undertaken and the

was established. A $10 million renovation of the Dolphin Pavilion opened in May 2005, including an underwater dolphin viewing dome and new programming. The following season, a $400,000 renovation of the Deserts Dome was completed. The zoo invested nearly $10 million in a redesigned Oceans building, which debuted in 2007. Construction at the Indianapolis Zoo - 2013

Construction at the Indianapolis Zoo - 2013

In September 2012, the zoo broke ground on the $21.5 million Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center, serving as both an exhibit and research hub to assist with

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 ...

conservation. The project was partially funded by a $2 million donation from the family foundation of Dean and Barbara White. The exhibit houses nine

s and features a -tall viewing atrium. The Myrta Pulliam Hutan Trail, a series of cableways and platforms, allows the orangutans to travel throughout the zoo at their leisure. The exhibit opened Memorial Day weekend 2014. In October 2019, the zoo acquired two parcels for a combined south of Washington Street. One parcel, consisting of of the former

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

plant site, was donated to the zoo by Indianapolis-based developer Ambrose Property Group, while the second parcel—consisting of of undeveloped land—was purchased from Ambrose for $3 million. Upon the announcement, zoo officials said the first parcel would "almost immediately" be used as an overflow parking lot. Further, a zoo spokesperson said the existing surface parking lot would "likely be converted into new exhibits and other zoo programming," though years of planning were anticipated.

Time under Robert Shumaker (2020–present)

Dr. Robert Shumaker was appointed president in 2016 and assumed the role of chief executive officer in January 2020, following Crowther's retirement. Since 2020, the zoo has debuted three exhibitions: Elephant Tembo Camp (2020), Alligators & Crocodiles: The Fight to Survive (2021), and Kangaroo Crossing (2022), with a total investment of nearly $4.8 million. In December 2022, officials announced a $53 million fundraising campaign, the largest in the zoo's history. The campaign will finance capital projects, including the construction of a $5 million entry plaza and welcome center and a $13 million home for the Global Center for Species Survival. Construction began in September 2021 and is projected to conclude in May 2023. A $25 million International Chimpanzee Complex is planned to open in May 2024.

Biomes and exhibits

The Indianapolis Zoo is organized around the concept of

biome A biome () is a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. It consists of a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate. In 1935, Tansley added the ...

s, or areas of the planet with similar climates, plants, and animals. Animals at the Indianapolis Zoo are clustered in groups with similar habitats, which define each biome. The "‡" symbol denotes animals that are part of the zoo's captive breeding program, as recognized by the

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 ...

Deserts

Indianapolis Zoo - August 2017 - Nathanmac90

, the Deserts biome contains the following: Deserts Dome *

Blue-tongued skink Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus ''Tiliqua'', which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (biology), family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Aust ...

(''Tiliqua multifasciata'') *

Burmese star tortoise The Burmese star tortoise (''Geochelone platynota'') is a critically endangered tortoise species, native to the dry, deciduous forests of Myanmar (Burma). Description The Burmese star tortoise has radiating star-shaped patterns on its strongly d ...

(''Geochelone platynota'')‡ *

Central bearded dragon The central bearded dragon (''Pogona vitticeps''), also known as the inland bearded dragon, is a species of Agamidae, agamid lizard found in a wide range of arid to semiarid regions of eastern and central Australia. Taxonomy ''Pogona vitticeps' ...

(''Pogona vitticeps'') *

Colorado River toad The Colorado River toad (''Incilius alvarius''), also known as the Sonoran Desert toad, is a toad species found in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is well known for its ability to exude toxins from glands within its sk ...

(''Incilius alvarius'') *

Common chuckwalla ''Sauromalus ater'', also known as the common chuckwalla or northern chuckwalla, is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It inhabits the Sonoran Desert, Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico ...

(''Sauromalus ater'') *

Desert tortoise The desert tortoise (''Gopherus agassizii'') is a species of tortoise in the Family (biology), family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave Desert, Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico ...

(''Gopherus agassizii'') * Eastern snake-necked turtle (''Chelodina longicollis'') *

Egyptian tortoise Kleinmann's tortoise (''Testudo kleinmanni''), also called commonly the Egyptian tortoise, Leith's tortoise, and the Negev tortoise, is a critically endangered species of cryptodire turtle in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to L ...

(''Testudo kleinmanni'')‡ * Grand Cayman blue iguana (''Cyclura lewisi'')‡ * Jamaican iguana (''Cyclura collei'')‡ *

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' ...

(''Stigmochelys pardalis'') * Mali spiny-tailed lizard (''Uromastyx dispar'') *

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 ...

(''Suricata suricatta'')‡ *

Northern bobwhite The northern bobwhite (''Colinus virginianus''), also known as the Virginia quail or (in its home range) bobwhite quail, is a ground-dwelling bird native to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, with introduced populations elsewhere in th ...

(''Colinus virginianus'') *

Radiated tortoise The radiated tortoise (''Astrochelys radiata'') is a tortoise species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can also be found in the rest of this island, and has been introd ...

(''Astrochelys radiata'')‡ *

Rhinoceros iguana The rhinoceros iguana (''Cyclura cornuta'') is an endangered species of iguana that is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and its surrounding islands. A large lizard, they vary in length from ...

(''Cyclura cornuta'') *

Sand cat The sand cat (''Felis margarita'') is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. With its sandy to light grey fur, it is well camouflaged in a desert environment. Its head-and-body length ranges from with a ...

(''Felis margarita'')‡ *

Spider tortoise The spider tortoise (''Pyxis arachnoides'') is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae that is endemic to Madagascar and is one of only two species in the genus ''Pyxis''. Habitat The remaining tortoises are found only in south western ...

(''Pyxis arachnoides'')‡ * Sudan plated lizard (''Broadleysaurus major'') Size, Speed & Venom: Extreme Snakes * Aruba Island rattlesnake (''Crotalus unicolor'')‡ * Banded rock rattlesnake (''Crotalus lepidus klauberi'') *

Black mamba The black mamba (''Dendroaspis polylepis'') is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. First formally species description, described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is ...

(''Dendroaspis polylepis'') * Brazilian rainbow boa (''Epicrates cenchria'') *

Burmese python The Burmese python (''Python bivittatus'') is one of the largest species of snakes. It is native to a large area of Southeast Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of the Indian pyth ...

(''Python bivittatus'') *

Cape cobra The Cape cobra (''Naja nivea''), also called the yellow cobra, is a moderate-sized, highly venomous species of cobra inhabiting a wide variety of biomes across southern Africa, including arid savanna, fynbos, bushveld, desert, and semidesert regi ...

(''Naja nivea'') *

Cottonmouth ''Agkistrodon piscivorus'' is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the Southeaster ...

(''Agkistrodon piscivorus'') *

Eastern copperhead The eastern copperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix''), also known simply as the copperhead, is a widespread species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the Family (biology ...

(''Agkistrodon contortrix'') * Eastern green mamba (''Dendroaspis angusticeps'') * Eyelash bush viper (''Atheris ceratophora'') *

Gaboon viper The Gaboon viper (''Bitis gabonica''), also called the Gaboon adder, is a large and highly venomous viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. ''Snake Species of the Wor ...

(''Bitis gabonica'') *

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 ...

(''Heloderma suspectum'') *

Jamaican boa The Jamaican boa, Jamaican yellow boa or yellow snake
a
Madagascar giant hognose (''Leioheterodon madagascariensis'') * Eastern massasauga (''Sistrurus catenatus'')‡ * Mexican lance-headed rattlesnake (''Crotalus polystictus'')‡ * Red spitting cobra (''Naja pallida'') *

Reticulated python The reticulated python (''Malayopython reticulatus'') is a Pythonidae, python species native to South Asia, South and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of largest snakes, longest snake, and the list of largest snakes, third heaviest snake. I ...

(''Malayopython reticulatus'') * Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake (''Crotalus catalinensis'')‡ * Taylor's cantil (''Agkistrodon taylori'') *

Timber rattlesnake The timber rattlesnake (''Crotalus horridus''), also known Common name, commonly as the canebrake rattlesnake and the banded rattlesnake,Albert Hazen WWright AH, species:Anna Allen WWright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States a ...

(''Crotalus horridus'')

Flights of Fancy

Quantum Leap Field Trip to the Indianapolis Zoo 03

, Flights of Fancy contains the following: Budgie and Lorikeet Aviaries * Blue-bellied roller (''Coracias cyanogaster'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Melopsittacus undulatus'') *

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 ...

(''Nymphicus hollandicus'') *

Crested coua The crested coua (''Coua cristata'') is a common medium-sized bird member of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. It is endemic to Madagascar, mainly found in the coastal regions of the island. The crested coua is a weak flyer, so it will often be obser ...

(''Coua cristata'')‡ *

Crested wood partridge The crested partridge (''Rollulus rouloul''), also known as the crested wood partridge, roul-roul, red-crowned wood partridge, green wood quail, and green wood partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, ...

(''Rollulus rouloul'')‡ * Eastern yellow-billed hornbill (''Tockus flavirostris'') * Green-naped lorkeet (''Trichoglossus haematodus'') *

Green wood hoopoe The green wood hoopoe (''Phoeniculus purpureus'') is a large, up to long tropical bird native to Africa. It is a member of the family Phoeniculidae, the wood hoopoes, and was formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe. Taxonomy In 1784 the En ...

(''Phoeniculus purpureus'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Numida meleagris'') *

Rainbow lorikeet The rainbow lorikeet (''Trichoglossus moluccanus'') is a species of parrot found in Australia. It is common along the eastern seaboard, from northern Queensland to South Australia. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. Six ...

(''Trichoglossus moluccanus'') *

Red lory The red lory (''Eos bornea'') is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is the second-most commonly kept lory in captivity, after the rainbow lorikeet. Taxonomy In 1751 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration ...

(''Eos bornea'') * Superb starling (''Lamprotornis superbus'') * Taveta golden weaver (''Ploceus castaneiceps'') * Vulturine guineafowl (''Acryllium vulturinum'') Flamingo Pool *

Caribbean flamingo The American flamingo (''Phoenicopterus ruber'') is a large species of flamingo native to the West Indies, northern South America (including the Galápagos Islands) and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is closely related to the greater flamingo and Chi ...

(''Phoenicopterus ruber'')‡ *

Chilean flamingo The Chilean flamingo (''Phoenicopterus chilensis'') is a species of large flamingo at a height of closely related to the American flamingo and the greater flamingo, with which it was previously considered a subspecies before being classified ...

(''Phoenicopterus chilensis'')‡ Other animals *

Arctic fox The Arctic fox (''Vulpes lagopus''), also known as the white fox, polar fox, or snow fox, is a small species of fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and common throughout the Tundra#Arctic tundra, Arctic tundra biome. I ...

(''Vulpes lagopus'') *

Great horned owl The great horned owl (''Bubo virginianus''), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extreme ...

(''Bubo virginianus'') *

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth The Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (''Choloepus hoffmanni''), also known as the northern two-toed sloth, is a species of sloth from Central and South America. It is a solitary, largely nocturnal and arboreal animal, found in mature and secondary ra ...

(''Choloepus hoffmanni'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Choloepus didactylus'')‡ *

Red-tailed hawk The red-tailed hawk (''Buteo jamaicensis'') is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members of ...

(''Buteo jamaicensis'') *

Rock hyrax The rock hyrax (; ''Procavia capensis''), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (from some interpretations of a word used in the King James Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Common ...

(''Procavia capensis'')‡ *

Southern ground hornbill The southern ground hornbill (''Bucorvus leadbeateri''; formerly known as ''Bucorvus cafer'') is one of two species of ground hornbill, both of which are found solely within Africa, and is the largest species in the hornbill order worldwide. It ...

(''Bucorvus leadbeateri'')‡

Forests

Indianapolis Zoo - 2011-08-12 - Becker1999 07

Ursus arctos middendorffi in the Indianapolis Zoo - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch 02

, the Forests biome contains the following: Alligators & Crocodiles: The Fight to Survive * American alligator (''Alligator mississippiensis'') *

Orinoco crocodile The Orinoco crocodile (''Crocodylus intermedius'') is a critically endangered crocodile. Its population is very small, and they can only be found in the Orinoco river basin in Venezuela and Colombia. Extensively hunted for their skins in the 19t ...

(''Crocodylus intermedius'') International Chimpanzee Complex *

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 ...

(''Pan troglodytes'') Kangaroo Crossing *

Citron-crested cockatoo The citron-crested cockatoo (''Cacatua citrinocristata'') is a medium-sized cockatoo with an orange crest, dark grey beak, pale orange ear patches, and strong feet and claws. The underside of the larger wing and tail feathers have a pale yellow ...

(''Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata'') * Goffin's cockatoo (''Cacatua goffiniana'') * Little corella cockatoo (''Cacatua sanguinea'') *

Major Mitchell's cockatoo The pink cockatoo (''Cacatua leadbeateri''), also known as Major Mitchell's cockatoo or Leadbeater's cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo that inhabits arid and semi-arid inland areas across Australia, with the exception of the north east. Ta ...

(''Lophochroa leadbeateri'') *

Red kangaroo The red kangaroo (''Osphranter rufus'') is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest terrestrial mammal native to Australia, and the Largest mammals#Marsupials (Marsupialia), largest extant marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, exce ...

(''Osphranter rufus'') *

Salmon-crested cockatoo The salmon-crested cockatoo (''Cacatua moluccensis''), also known as the Moluccan cockatoo, is a cockatoo endemic to the Seram archipelago in eastern Indonesia. At a height of up to and weight of up to , it is among the largest of the white coc ...

(''Cacatua moluccensis'') *

Sulphur-crested cockatoo The sulphur-crested cockatoo (''Cacatua galerita'') is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia, New Guinea, and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being ...

(''Cacatua galerita'') *

Yellow-crested cockatoo The yellow-crested cockatoo (''Cacatua sulphurea'') also known as the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo, is a medium-sized (about 34-cm-long) cockatoo with white plumage, bluish-white bare orbital skin, grey feet, a black bill, and a retractile ye ...

(''Cacatua sulphurea'') Magnificent Macaws *

Blue-and-yellow macaw The blue-and-yellow macaw (''Ara ararauna''), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large Neotropical parrot with a mostly blue dorsum, light yellow/orange venter, and gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large g ...

(''Ara ararauna'') * Blue-throated macaw (''Ara glaucogularis'')‡ *

Great green macaw The great green macaw (''Ara ambiguus''), also known as Buffon's macaw or the great military macaw, is a critically endangered Central and South America parrot found in Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador. Two allopat ...

(''Ara ambiguus'') *

Hyacinth macaw The hyacinth macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''), or hyacinthine macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about one meter it is longer tha ...

(''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'')‡ *

Military macaw The military macaw (''Ara militaris'') is a medium- to large-sized macaw, named after its green and red plumage vaguely resembling a military uniform. It is native from west-central Mexico south through northern Argentina and Bolivia. While most ...

(''Ara militaris'') *

Red-and-green macaw The red-and-green macaw (''Ara chloropterus''), also known as the green-winged macaw, is a large, mostly-red macaw of the genus ''Ara''. It is popular in aviculture, and is the second most commonly kept macaw species after the Blue and Yellow. ...

(''Ara chloropterus'') *

Scarlet macaw The scarlet macaw (''Ara macao'') also called the red-and-yellow macaw, red-and-blue macaw or red-breasted macaw, is a large yellow, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from south ...

(''Ara macao'') Other animals *

Aardvark Aardvarks ( ; ''Orycteropus afer'') are medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammals native to Africa. Aardvarks are the only living species of the family Orycteropodidae and the order Tubulidentata. They have a long proboscis, similar to a pi ...

(''Orycteropus afer'')‡ * Alaskan brown bear (''Ursus arctos middendorffi'') *

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 ...

(''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') *

Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

(''Aquila chrysaetos'') * Lar gibbon (''Hylobates lar'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Ailurus fulgens'')‡ Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center *

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 ...

(''Pongo pygmaeus'')‡ *

Sumatran orangutan The Sumatran orangutan (''Pongo abelii'') is one of the three species of orangutans. Critically endangered, and found only in the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, it is rarer than the Bornean orangutan but more common than the recently ...

(''Pongo abelii'')‡ Tiger Forest *

Amur tiger The Siberian tiger or Amur tiger is a population of the tiger subspecies '' Panthera tigris tigris'' native to Northeast China, the Russian Far East, and possibly North Korea. It once ranged throughout the Korean Peninsula, but currently inhab ...

(''Panthera tigris altaica'')‡

Oceans

Seals and Sea Lions Exhibit at Indianapolis Zoo - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch 01

, the Oceans biome contains the following: Aquaria * Angelfish *

Butterflyfish The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical ocean, marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. The approximately 129 species in 12 genera are found mostly on the reefs of the ...

Cardinalfish Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water and a few (notably '' Glossamia'') are found in fresh water. A ...

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 ...

Coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...

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 ...

(''Rhinoptera bonasus'') *

Dusky smooth-hound The dusky smooth-hound (''Mustelus canis''), also called the smooth dogfish or the dog shark, is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae. This shark is an olive grey or brown in color, and may have shades of yellow or grayish white. Femal ...

(''Mustelus canis'') * Green moray eel (''Gymnothorax funebris'') *

Pot-bellied seahorse The big-belly seahorse (''Hippocampus abdominalis'') or pot-bellied seahorse is one of the largest seahorse species in the world, with a length of up to , and is the largest in Australia. Seahorses are members of the family Syngnathidae, and are ...

(''Hippocampus abdominalis'')‡ *

Red lionfish The red lionfish (''Pterois volitans'') is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. It is mainly native to the Indo-Pacific region, but has become an invasive species in the Caribbean Sea, as well as along the ...

(''Pterois volitans'') *

Sea anemones Sea anemones ( ) are a group of predatory marine invertebrates constituting the order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the '' Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classified in the p ...

Southern stingray The southern stingray (''Hypanus americanus'') is a whiptail stingray found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean from New Jersey to southern Brazil. It has a flat, diamond-shaped disc, with a mud brown, olive, and gre ...

(''Hypanus americanus'') *

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 ...

Surgeonfish Acanthuridae are a family (biology), family of ray-finned fish which includes surgeonfishes, tangs, and Naso (fish), unicornfishes. The family includes about 86 Extant taxon, extant species of ocean, marine fish living in tropical seas, usually ...

* Unicornfish Ascension St. Vincent Dolphin Pavilion *

Common bottlenose dolphin The common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (''Tursiops truncatus'') is one of three species of bottlenose dolphin in the genus ''Tursiops''. The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin due to the wide exposure it re ...

(''Tursiops truncatus'')‡ Penguin Hall *

Gentoo penguin The gentoo penguin ( ) (''Pygoscelis papua'') is a penguin species (or possibly a species complex) in the genus ''Pygoscelis'', most closely related to the Adélie penguin (''P. adeliae'') and the chinstrap penguin (''P. antarcticus''). The earl ...

(''Pygoscelis papua'')‡ *

King penguin The king penguin (''Aptenodytes patagonicus'') is the second largest species of penguin, smaller than but somewhat similar in appearance to the emperor penguin. King penguins mainly eat lanternfish, squid, and krill. On foraging trips, king pen ...

(''Aptenodytes patagonicus'')‡ *

Southern rockhopper penguin The western rockhopper penguin (''Eudyptes chrysocome''), traditionally known as the southern rockhopper penguin, is a species of rockhopper penguin that is sometimes considered distinct from the northern rockhopper penguin. It occurs in subanta ...

(''Eudyptes chrysocome'')‡ Sea Lion & Seal *

California sea lion The California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'') is a coastal eared seal native to western North America. It is one of six species of sea lions. Its natural habitat ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico, including the Gulf of Califo ...

(''Zalophus californianus'')‡ *

Gray seal The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or "earless seals". The only species classified in the genus ''Halichoerus'', it is found on both shores of the Nort ...

(''Halichoerus grypus'')‡ Sharing One World: Long-Tailed Macaques *

Long-tailed macaque The crab-eating macaque (''Macaca fascicularis''), also known as the long-tailed macaque or cynomolgus macaque, is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. As a synanthropic species, the crab-eating macaque thrives near human settleme ...

(''Macaca fascicularis'') Walrus Complex *

Walrus The walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') is a large pinniped marine mammal with discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only extant species in the family Odobeni ...

(''Odobenus rosmarus'')‡

Plains

Indianapolis Zoo - 2009-05-19 - Bradley Buhro 07

Indianapolis Zoo - 2013-09-30 - David Lytle 10

, the Plains biome contains the following: * Addra gazelle (''Nanger dama'')‡ *

African bush elephant The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one ...

(''Loxodonta africana'')‡ *

African lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is ...

(''Panthera leo'')‡ *

Cape porcupine The Cape porcupine (''Hystrix africaeaustralis''), Cape crested porcupine or South African porcupine, is a species of Old World porcupine native to central and southern Africa. Description left, 180px, Porcupine head Cape porcupines are the la ...

(''Hystrix africaeaustralis'')‡ *

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

(''Acinonyx jubatus'')‡ *

Common ostrich The common ostrich (''Struthio camelus''), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus ''Struthio'' in the ratite group ...

(''Struthio camelus'') *

Common warthog The common warthog (''Phacochoerus africanus'') is a wild member of the pig family (Suidae) found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. In the past, it was commonly treated as a subspecies of ''P. aethiopicus'', but today th ...

(''Phacochoerus africanus'')‡ * East African crowned crane (''Balearica regulorum'')‡ * Eastern white-bearded wildebeest (''Connochaetes taurinus'')‡ * Eastern yellow-billed hornbill (''Tockus flavirostris'') * Grant's zebra (''Equus quagga boehmi'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'')‡ *

Guinea baboon The Guinea baboon (''Papio papio'') is a baboon from the Old World monkey family. Some (older) classifications list only two species in the genus '' Papio'', this one and the hamadryas baboon. In those classifications, all other ''Papio'' species ...

(''Papio papio'') *

Reticulated giraffe The reticulated giraffe (''Giraffa reticulata'' or ''Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata'') is a species/subspecies of giraffe native to the Horn of Africa. It is differentiated from other types of giraffe by its coat, which consists of large, p ...

(''Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata'')‡ * Rüppell's griffon vulture (''Gyps rueppelli'')‡ *

Southern white rhinoceros The southern white rhinoceros or southern white rhino (''Ceratotherium simum simum'') is one of the two subspecies of the white rhinoceros (the other being the much rarer northern white rhinoceros). It is the most common and widespread subspecies ...

(''Ceratotherium simum simum'')‡ *

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 ...

(''Ciconia ciconia'')‡

White River Gardens

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 ...

(''Cryptobranchus alleganiensis'')

Gallery

Indianapolis Zoo - June 2017 - Ryan Summers 02.jpg,

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

(''Panthera leo'') INDY 0002 (20012623681).jpg,

(''Ailurus fulgens'') Equus quagga boehmi in the Indianapolis Zoo - June 2022 - Sarah Stierch.jpg, Grant's zebra (''Equus quagga boehmi'') Indianapolis Zoo - 2011-08-12 - Becker1999 06.jpg, Baby elephant playing at the zoo Indianapolis Zoo - 2011-08-12 - Becker1999 05.jpg,

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 ...

(''Lemur catta'') Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, United States (Unsplash).jpg, Koala Indianapolis Zoo - July 2009 - Artotem 06.jpg, Rhinoceros Indianapolis Zoo - June 2017 - Ryan Summers 03.jpg, A macaw in flight Indianapolis Zoo - August 2017 - Nathanmac91.jpg, A butterfly on one of the many flowering plants at the zoo Indianapolis Zoo - June 2016 - Jean 01.jpg, Endangered species carousel

Other attractions

The Indianapolis Zoo offers several seasonal amusement rides, animal feedings, rotating exhibits, and presentations for zoo visitors. , general admission costs cover seven "featured attractions" at the zoo, including zookeeper-led presentations highlighting the zoo's dolphins, macaws (''Magnificent Macaws''), and African elephants (''Tembo Camp''); Shark/Ray Touch Pool; Kangaroo Crossing; Alligators & Crocodiles: The Fight to Survive; and Race A Cheetah. Tickets purchased at additional cost permit visitors to feed flamingos, budgerigars, lorikeets, or giraffes; and enjoy four rides, including the Endangered Species Carousel (

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 ...

); Kōmbo Family Coaster (

roller coaster A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...

); Skyline (

gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate suppo ...

); and the White River Junction Train (

train ride ''Train Ride'' is a feature thriller film written and directed by Rel Dowdell and Executive Produced by Rich Murray. It was released in 2005 by Murray's RuffNation Films via Sony Entertainment. It revolves around the consequences of an incident ...

Events

Since 1986, Zoobilation has served as the Indianapolis Zoo's annual

black tie Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...

fundraiser. The outdoor event takes place each June on the zoo grounds, featuring live music and food and beverages from area restaurants. The 2010 event drew about 4,500 attendees and raised more than $1 million to support the zoo's animal care and conservation efforts. The Indianapolis Zoo hosts popular holiday events throughout the year, notably ZooBoo and Christmas at the Zoo. Held annually each October, the Indianapolis Zoo is decorated in recognition of Halloween; ZooBoo encourages guests to wear costumes for

trick-or-treating Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". Th ...

and special programming. Christmas at the Zoo, held from November through December, is credited as the first holiday lights display at a U.S. zoo, having begun in 1967.

Conservation and research

Quantum Leap Field Trip to the Indianapolis Zoo - 36695977072

The Indianapolis Zoo has a multifaceted approach in its conservation and research efforts. The zoo participates in the

Species Survival Plans 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 species, ...

(SSPs) and conservation programs of the

, the national zoo membership organization of the U.S. Under the auspices of the Polly H. Hix Institute for Conservation and Research, an initiative that supports the Society's current and future research and conservation programs, the zoo conducts research projects both ''

in situ is a Latin phrase meaning 'in place' or 'on site', derived from ' ('in') and ' ( ablative of ''situs'', ). The term typically refers to the examination or occurrence of a process within its original context, without relocation. The term is use ...

'' and ''

ex situ Svalbard Global Seed Bank, an ' conservation ''Ex situ'' conservation () is the process of protecting an endangered species, variety, or breed of plant or animal outside its natural habitat. For example, by removing part of the population from ...

'' on selected species. The Indianapolis Zoo also participates in three conservation and research foundations: the International Elephant Foundation (IEF), the International Iguana Foundation (IIF), and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). The Hix Institute also supports the Tarangire Elephant Project in

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

to protect migration corridors between

Tarangire National Park Tarangire National Park is a national park in Tanzania's Manyara Region. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park. The Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire ...

and the

Ngorongoro Conservation Area Ngorongoro Conservation Area (, ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, west of Arusha City in Arusha Region, within the Crater Highlands geological area of northeastern Tanzania. The area is na ...

. The zoo has a second partnership with the IUCN – The World Conservation Union, a conservation network. The Indianapolis Zoo, in partnership with the

MacArthur Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants and impact investments to support non-profit organizations in approximately 117 countries around the world. It has an endowment of $7.6 billion and ...

, is supporting the IUCN's project documenting the known

effects of climate change Effects of climate change are well documented and growing for Earth's natural environment and human societies. Changes to the climate system include an Instrumental temperature record, overall warming trend, Effects of climate change on the ...

on wildlife habitats. In March 2019, two female African elephants at the Indianapolis Zoo died from an outbreak of

elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV) are herpesviruses that infect elephants. They can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease when transmitted to young Asian elephants. In African elephants, related forms of these viruses, which have ...

(EEHV3 strain). Mainly associated with

Asian elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living ''Elephas'' species. It is the largest living land animal in Asia and the second largest living Elephantidae, elephantid in the world. It is char ...

s, the EEHV outbreak was a rare instance of the virus infecting elephants of the African species, drawing national interest from researchers. In February 2020, the Indianapolis Zoo hosted a conference convening veterinarians, scientists, and zookeepers from across the U.S. to learn from the case and advance research to benefit conservation efforts.

Indianapolis Prize

The biennial

was established in 2004 to recognize conservationists who have made substantial contributions toward the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. Recipients are awarded the Lilly Medal and US$250,000.

Notable animals

Azy

Azy, a male

, has resided at the Indianapolis Zoo since 2010. Born on December 14, 1977, at the National Zoo in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, Azy was a participant in the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

's Orangutan Language Project, providing researchers and the public insight into

great ape language Great ape language research historically involved attempts to teach chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans to communicate using imitative human speech, sign language, physical tokens and computerized lexigrams. These studies were con ...

. Dr. Robert Shumaker, current president and chief executive officer of the Indianapolis Zoo, has worked with Azy in cognitive learning since 1984.

Rocky

Rocky, a male orangutan, has resided at the Indianapolis Zoo since 2010. Rocky has been noted for his unique vocal demonstrations and ability to "speak". In 2017, Rocky's interactions with a zoo guest were captured in a

viral video Viral videos are video, videos that become popular through viral phenomenon, a viral process of Internet sharing, primarily through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhon ...

. The guest had recently suffered a burn and had a large bandage covering a portion of her arm and shoulder. The video captures Rocky expressing interest in the bandage, gesturing to it, and seemingly requesting she remove the bandage. The guest did so, and Rocky is seen inspecting her burn.

Tahtsa

Tahtsa, a female

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 ...

, resided at the Indianapolis Zoo from 2006 to 2009. Born at the

Denver Zoo Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is an nonprofit zoological garden and wildlife conservation, conservation organization located in City Park, Denver, City Park of Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1896, it is operated by the Denver Zoo ...

on November 20, 1974, Tahtsa lived at the

Louisville Zoo The Louisville Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Louisville Zoo, is a zoo in Louisville, Kentucky, situated in the city's Poplar Level neighborhood. Founded in 1969, the "State Zoo of Kentucky" currently exhibits over 1,200 animals in na ...

from March 1976 to October 2006, before her transfer to Indianapolis. Tahtsa died on August 12, 2009, at the age of 34. At the time of her death, she was the oldest polar bear known to be living in captivity or in the wild.

Incidents and controversy

Since the introduction of

common bottlenose dolphin The common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (''Tursiops truncatus'') is one of three species of bottlenose dolphin in the genus ''Tursiops''. The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin due to the wide exposure it re ...

s to its collection in 1989, the Indianapolis Zoo has faced criticism from

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

advocates, including the Indiana Animal Rights Alliance and the Dolphin Project, founded by activist Ric O'Barry. Concerns about the health of the captive mammals, their use in entertainment, and the results of the zoo's dolphin breeding program have been chief among advocates' complaints. Zoo officials have maintained that the dolphins are cared for in accordance with best practices set forth by the

and serve as "ambassadors for their counterparts in the wild" by educating the public. On January 11, 1993, a

wallaroo Wallaroo is a common name for several species of moderately large macropods, intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies, that are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. The word "wallaroo" is from the Dharug ''walaru'' wi ...

named Mookie escaped his enclosure and cleared the zoo's perimeter fence. Mookie roamed downtown Indianapolis for about 20 minutes before being recaptured unharmed by zoo officials. On November 8, 1998, a zookeeper cleaning a holding area for Cita—one of the zoo's

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. ...

s—was "slammed" repeatedly by the elephant's trunk, knocking the zookeeper unconscious and breaking several ribs. The zookeeper was hospitalized in critical condition and was later upgraded to fair. Another incident involving the zoo's African elephants occurred on July 18, 2003. Ivory struck and injured a trainer upon reacting to a call from her calf, Ajani. A zoo spokesperson said Ivory was "suffering from separation anxiety during training," as Ajani was in another holding area. The trainer underwent surgery to repair an injury to their lower left leg. On July 17, 2005, a pack of stray dogs breached the zoo's Australian Plains exhibit, killing two

black swan The black swan (''Cygnus atratus'') is a large Anatidae, waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent ...

s, three

magpie geese The magpie goose (''Anseranas semipalmata'') is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This common waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. As the species is prone to wandering, especially wh ...

, and three

emu The emu (; ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is a species of flightless bird endemism, endemic to Australia, where it is the Tallest extant birds, tallest native bird. It is the only extant taxon, extant member of the genus ''Dromaius'' and the ...

Indianapolis Police Department The Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) (September 1, 1854 – December 31, 2006) was the principal law enforcement agency of Indianapolis, Indiana, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Indianapolis and Director of Public Safety. Prior t ...

officers responded to the scene and attempted to corral the dogs, eventually capturing one but fatally shooting four, while a sixth dog escaped. It was not clear how or where the dogs were able to enter the grounds. On August 9, 2006, a truck carrying a shipment of 24 penguins, an octopus, and several exotic fish from the Indianapolis Zoo overturned near

Marshall, Texas Marshall is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Harrison County, Texas, Harrison County and a cultural and educational center of the Ark-La-Tex region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the population of ...

, en route to Moody Gardens in

Galveston, Texas Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...

. Four penguins and several fish died in the crash. On November 10, 2007, a fire in the zoo's Critter Corner building killed at least three turtles, two birds, an armadillo, and a snake. Following the incident,

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal rights ...

called on the

U.S. Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and production ...

(USDA) to investigate. An internal inspection the month prior identified no violations, corroborated by the USDA's post-fire inspection. The likely cause of the fire was attributed to combustible bedding that had been moved too close to a heat lamp. On January 19, 2009, 15

bonnethead shark The bonnethead (''Sphyrna tiburo''), also called a bonnet shark or shovelhead, is a small member of the hammerhead shark genus ''Sphyrna'', and part of the family Sphyrnidae. It is an abundant species in the littoral zone of the North Atlantic a ...

s in the zoo's Oceans exhibit died after staff failed to reopen a valve regulating ozone while the tank was undergoing routine maintenance. The incident prompted zoo officials to reevaluate staff training, repair procedures, and life-support system design. Since its debut in 2014, the zoo's Skyline

has experienced various technical malfunctions that have stranded passengers in midair on a number of occasions. None of the incidents resulted in injuries. On September 6, 2015, a

cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

named Pounce escaped his enclosure, prompting a one-hour lockdown of the zoo facility. Officials subdued Pounce with a tranquilizer dart before the animal was able to enter a publicly accessible area. No zoo staff or visitors were harmed in the incident. In the months following the incident, fencing was added to the cheetah exhibit as part of the zoo's ongoing investments in enclosure safety.

Public art collection

The Indianapolis Zoo's public art collection is composed of several pieces, including ''

American Bison The American bison (''Bison bison''; : ''bison''), commonly known as the American buffalo, or simply buffalo (not to be confused with Bubalina, true buffalo), is a species of bison that is endemic species, endemic (or native) to North America. ...

'', '' North American Plains Animals'', and '' Traditional Chinese Lions''. Dedicated in 1999, artist Andrew Reid's ''Midwestern Panorama'' is a cylindrical mural located inside the Bud Schaefer Rotunda of White River Gardens. Artist Arthur Kraft's '' Wynkin, Blynkin and Nod'' are three bronze penguin statues with a silver ball located in the zoo's Oceans building. Originally displayed at Glendale Town Center from October 1960 to July 2016, the sculptures were loaned to the zoo by owner Kite Realty Group. On December 14, 2017, an Indiana limestone sculpture of Azy (by artist David Petlowany) was unveiled near the zoo's entrance in honor of the resident orangutan's 40th birthday.

References

External links

* {{authority control Zoos in Indiana Non-profit organizations based in Indianapolis White River State Park Protected areas of Marion County, Indiana Tourist attractions in Indianapolis Amusement parks in Indiana Zoos established in 1964 1964 establishments in Indiana Institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums