Cincinnati Zoo Map

Description:
This map shows first aid, welcome center, ticketing & member services, atm, restroom, family restroom, wheelchair/stroller rental, water bottle refill, nursing area, pedestrian entry/exit, playground, gift shop, food service, sensory-friendly restroom, restroom with adult changing table, calming room, calm space, rides access pass, sensory bag checkout, safari train, sensory friendly family restroom, direction of inclines, points of interest, animals, and attractions in Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

About Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is a zoological park located in the Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1875, it is the second-oldest zoo in the United States, after the Philadelphia Zoo which opened in 1874.

The zoo spans 75 acres and houses over 500 animal species and more than 3,000 plant varieties. The institution combines traditional zoo facilities with significant botanical garden collections, earning accreditation from both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums.

In its early history, the Cincinnati Zoo gained unfortunate distinction as the location where two extinct North American bird species spent their final days. Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, died at the zoo on September 1, 1914. Four years later, on February 21, 1918, the last Carolina parakeet named Incas also died at the facility.

The zoo has developed internationally recognized breeding programs for endangered species. Its most notable success has been with African lions, where the institution pioneered captive breeding techniques in the mid-20th century. The Cincinnati Zoo has also achieved significant breeding success with Sumatran rhinoceros, cheetahs, and western lowland gorillas.

Major exhibit areas include Africa, featuring giraffes, lions, and African painted dogs; Gorilla World, which houses one of the largest gorilla collections in North America; and the Harold C. Schott Family Elephant Reserve. The Cat Ambassador Program allows close-up educational encounters with cheetahs and other feline species.

The botanical garden component features themed gardens including the Peacock Garden, James P. and Joan E. Gardner Memorial Butterfly Garden, and extensive seasonal plantings. The historic Passenger Pigeon Memorial commemorates the extinct species.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the zoo gained viral internet attention when it launched a home safari program featuring its celebrity animal Fiona, a Nile hippopotamus born prematurely at the zoo in 2017. Fiona's survival story and subsequent social media presence have made her one of the most recognized zoo animals in the United States.

The Cincinnati Zoo operates year-round and attracts approximately 1.9 million visitors annually, making it one of the most-visited zoos in the country. It participates in numerous Species Survival Plans coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.