We have been to Zoo’s all over the country, but my all- time favorite is the Columbus Zoo which I grew up with. The Columbus Zoo objectively is in the top five in the country, but for sheer size and variety for me it’s the best. So, when we moved back to town it was high on our list but got bumped to the top when Lee learned they had a Red Panda Experience. Neither one of us knew what to expect from that but we knew the Zoo was a sure thing so we headed out bright and early on a Sunday and got there when it opened. Oh I should also mention that Jack Hanna ran this Zoo for many years. His contribution to putting the Zoo on the map is unparalleled and he is a local hero for what he managed to do. I’ve met him a few times and he is exactly like he is on TV !!
For those of you who don’t go to Zoo’s often I think morning is the best time. Sometimes you catch the feedings, and the animals are more active with the cooler weather. Turns out we had an absolutely gorgeous day with temps reaching 68 degrees, bright sunshine and a slight breeze.
WE had some time until the Red Panda experience, so we started walking the Zoo. By the end of the day we had over 10,000 steps and didn’t even cover it all. It’s a BIG place. First up was Africa and the lions were in fine form. One male in particular was super vocal and we watched him for a long time.
Next was Asia with awesome Asian elephants and a super chill sun bear.
They have multiple buildings also for different biomes which I enjoy particularly because for the nocturnal animals they keep them in the dark which is cool. They also had an area where you could go in and feed parrots which was super cool.
One of my favorites is a GIANT manatee tank which the Zoo uses to help rehabilitate manatees that are hurt in Florida. It was a giant project to build and funded by local businesses (many of the exhibits are) which to my mind is a great collaboration between the zoo and businesses.
Two of my other favorite exhibits bring me back to my childhood. The giant tortoises have been there since I was small child and the first Gorilla born in captivity was born at the Columbus Zoo and I spent many visits in the gorilla area which was fantastically innovative. Now almost all Gorilla habitats are like this but at the time it was revolutionary and privately funded by a local woman who loved gorillas.
By far though the highlight of the day was the Red Panda experience. Our guide explained to us that during Covid the staff was trying to figure out a way to raise extra money and the experience was born. By design it was a very small group of 4 people, our volunteer guide, and the handler. We received a short orientation and then were taken into their habitat!! That was totally unexpected, and it was cool how fast they came over to us. That’s because we were each given a small number of treats to feed them and wow was that special. We weren’t allowed to pet them perse but when feeding them they brushed against our hands and were super soft. Lee was like a little kid with joy, and I am so glad we did this. Amazing!
We were allowed to ask any question we wanted to and we learned that Red Pandas can overheat in temps higher than 68 degrees. These guys actually have dens with ac units they can go into on hot days and few zoos in the south have them. Everyone was really nice and it truly was a once in a lifetime experience. They have more experiences available and next time I think I would like to wash an elephant!!
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