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GoodZoos.com Reviews

Cincinnati Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the USA. It opened its gates to the public in 1875 and predates all but the Philadelphia Zoo which opened a year before. It holds the unhappy record of having been home to the last ever Passenger Pigeon and the last ever Carolina Parakeet, and for this reason alone a visit to Cincinnati Zoo should be an essential pilgrimage for any conservationist. Martha, the last know Passenger Pigeon, died here in 1914. Her final home has become a memorial. It is a quiet museum in among the bustling pathways of the zoo. A reflective place, marking man's ability to destroy the most abundant bird species on earth in the space of two generations. It should be compulsory for all politicians to visit.

But of course today's zoo is a far cry from the zoo of 1914. Today Cincinnati has a zoo that it can be justly proud of – a vibrant, busy, bright noisy zoo, famed now as much for its conservation work and research as for its entertainment value. Peacocks strut and call among the lush pathways. School parties swarm enthusiastically among the undergrowth. This is not a huge zoo, and does not demand a great deal of walking, yet there is a great deal to see. And the best parts, by far, are the newest. The award winning jungle trails, on the site of the old car parks, are quite simply superb, featuring jungle trails in among rain forest plants and trees where you'll encounter bonobos, orang utans, and lemurs. The indoor exhibits (Wings of the World, Manatee Springs, Insect World, and the Nocturnal House) are as good as you will find in any zoo anywhere – hat's off to the designers who have turned them into centres of exploration and adventure. Oh to be a child again and explore these places. And every time you emerge there is more to see – red pandas, gorillas, rhinos, white lions, gibbons, and a monkey island, and more.

But if you really know and love wildlife there is reason above all other why you will want to visit this zoo. Two names: Emi and Andalas. Who are they? They are two Sumatran (woolly) rhinoceroses – mother and child. Andalas was born at the zoo in September 2002 and her birth was a landmark achievement not only for veterinarian Dr Terry Roth and her team at Cincinnati, but for zoos worldwide and for this unique species in particular. This was an achievement that overshadows the birth of a giant panda, and it took over a century to achieve. You might travel the world and see many sights, many places, many creatures. But only in Cincinnati or in the impenetrable forests of South Asia will you see the unique and endearing sight of a mother Sumatran rhino and her calf.  Catch it while you can. And keep your photographs. You may show them to your grandchildren and boast that you saw Andalas, the first woolly rhino born in captivity, the beacon of hope for a hugely endangered species.

Like any zoo, there are parts of Cincinnati Zoo that disappoint. The bears should have more space, or should go. Some cat enclosures look too small and cats are showing stereotypic behaviour. So too is the polar bear. But this looks like a zoo with a clear handle on the future. A fantastic educational resource, and a strong force for conservation, and I'd bet that more changes are in the wings. I'd love Cincinnati to 'do a San Diego' and buy a thousand hectares out of town to develop a WiIldlife Park with loads more space. We travelled half way around the world to see Cincinnati Zoo just to see Emi and Andalas. It was worth it. We'd go again.