As our expertise in animal care, conservation, education, and horticulture continues to grow, our habitats need to grow with it. More Home to Roam funds are being used to make better homes for animals and a better zoo for you.

PROJECT UPDATES

We continue to make progress toward building a better zoo for animals and a better zoo for you!


BEAR RIDGE AND SEA OTTER COAST ANNOUNCED

Two new habitats are under construction and expected to open in 2023!

 

ROO VALLEY -NOW OPEN

 

At the Australian-themed Roo Valley, beneath a lush canopy of trees, Zoo guests experience and encounter two native Australian species like never before. In the 15,000-square-foot Kangaroo Walkabout, guests can roam among the ‘roos as they hop about, play, and graze. Little blue penguins, another native Australian species, have an innovatively designed new home as well. The Cincinnati Zoo is home to North America’s largest colony of little blue penguins. Their new habitat includes more rocky surfaces and incorporates technology to optimize swimming time, which is beneficial for penguin foot health. Kanga Klimb, a two-level, ADA-accessible ropes course with 50 activities will add even more adventure when it opens in 2021.

AFRICAN PENGUIN POINT- NOW OPEN

African penguins got a home makeover, too. Endangered in the wild, their populations have dropped by 50% in the past 30 years. The new habitat is three times the size of their former space with a dramatically larger indoor bedroom area to encourage breeding, expand nesting sites and ultimately result in a thriving colony of 30+ birds.  

VISITOR ACCESS

An additional Zoo entry, featuring ten new ticket windows and additional queuing space, opened in 2019 and has dramatically streamlined entry into the Zoo. New amenities such as more family-style restrooms and more storage space for strollers and wheelchairs, as well as a calming room for guests with developmental disabilities, are also improving visitors’ experience. 

The Zoo is the #1 attraction in Hamilton County, creating a significant economic and cultural benefit to the families in the region. Attendance growth is directly connected to the Zoo’s ability to provide access into the Zoo.

Cincinnati Zoo Development Dept. – 3400 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH – 45220 (513) 559-7716