Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is the second oldest zoo in the US, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Since its opening in 1875, it has evolved from a Victorian-era zoo to a modern, AZA-accredited conservation institution.
It hosts 2 million visitors annually, operates a high school and a master’s programme, and emphasises sustainability with a net-zero energy goal. The zoo’s community engagement and educational programmes aim to inspire the next generation of conservationists.
During this anniversary year, Cincinnati Zoo will reflect on its rich history. It will also look ahead to an exciting future, with new habitats for 2025 including Siamang Point, Bear Ridge, Sea Otter Coast, and a new space for mixed primate species in Jungle Trails.
Zoo director Thane Maynard speaks to blooloop about the journey so far, the challenges zoos face in today’s world, and his hopes for the institution’s future.
Cincinnati Zoo moves with the times
Maynard has been with Cincinnati Zoo for almost 50 years, having joined the team in 1977.
He is globally recognised for his commitment to wildlife conservation, research, and education. He has authored over twelve books, the most recent being Hope For Animals & Their World, which he co-wrote with Jane Goodall. Additionally, he has been presenting a radio show entitled The 90-Second Naturalist since 1987.
Speaking about some of the key moments in the zoo’s history, he says:
“When the zoo was founded just after the Civil War, it was a Victorian-style zoo with many wooden buildings and large cages. Over time, that evolved, particularly in the 1930s, with the leadership of the first woman on our zoo board, Lily Ackerland Fleischmann.”
Ackerland Fleischmann funded the modernisation of the zoo, introducing large outdoor exhibits, barless monkey and bear habitats, and big cat enclosures, creating a more modern zoo.
“To achieve this, she brought in Carl Hagenbeck, a great German zoo designer of the time. Together, they created America’s first open zoo. The challenge now is that those exhibits are 90 years old. So, over the past decade, we’ve been working to replace them with larger, more modern spaces. Step by step, we’ve made significant progress.”
Recent habitats include a seven-acre elephant yard and a large African exhibit with open plains for mixed species. “And, of course, we’re home to Fiona, the famous hippo who changed everything when she was born prematurely eight years ago.”
It also housed the last passenger pigeon, Martha. Once the most numerous bird in North America, passenger pigeons became extinct by the early 1900s.
“Since then, we’ve dedicated ourselves to conservation. We have a museum here—the Passenger Pigeon Memorial—that explores what led to their extinction and what it takes to protect species in the future.”
A mission to inspire
While the way Cincinnati Zoo looks may have changed a lot in the last century and a half, its ethos has broadly remained the same:
“Our mission is simple: the zoo is here to inspire everyone with wildlife every day. We primarily do that here in our park, where we welcome almost 2 million visitors a year. Our goal is to provide them with a great experience while also explaining the importance of protecting nature.”
It’s not just about saving pandas or pythons, he adds. Everyone, even in cities, depends on nature for essential resources like clean air and water.
“Conservation is a major part of what we do today, as it is for all modern zoos.
“We’re fortunate to have a strong conservation programme and a long tradition of education. We have a full-time high school, the Zoo Academy, which celebrates its 50th graduating class this year. It has 50 students—25 juniors and 25 seniors—and recently, one of our alums was admitted to veterinary school.”
The zoo also offers a master’s degree through a partnership with Miami University of Ohio. “That programme has been around for 20 years and has produced hundreds of graduates.”
Upgrading the facilities
When it comes to balancing the zoo’s rich heritage with the need for modernisation, Maynard highlights the three oldest buildings on site:
“Our Reptile House is the oldest zoo building in America, continuously displaying animals for 150 years. The Passenger Pigeon Memorial, which no longer houses living animals, and our 125-year-old Elephant House on the National Historic Register also require preservation. These buildings need extra care to maintain their historical significance while remaining functional.
“Beyond that, our exhibits and facilities are modern.”
A major fundraising campaign, More Home to Roam, reflects the zoo’s commitment to expanding spaces for animals.
“For example, we once had a sea lion pool, but the space wasn’t large enough to meet modern standards, so we repurposed it into a spacious African penguin exhibit, creating an A+ habitat instead of a subpar one.
“The same principle applies across the zoo. We once housed polar bears, but the available space wasn’t adequate. Now, that area is home to sea otters, which thrive there. In the next decade, we plan to build a large marine exhibit with saltwater for sea lions and polar bears, but to do that, we need to relocate and redesign spaces carefully.
“It’s all about making the most of the space we have.”
Conservation at Cincinnati Zoo
The zoo’s conservation programme has grown significantly over the past few decades.
“We’ve been involved in conservation for many years, and one of our most notable contributions is our support of cheetah conservation in Africa. The Cincinnati Zoo, along with Cathryn Hilker, who started our programme, played a key role in purchasing the 18,000 acres that now make up the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. We’ve been involved in African cat conservation since 1990.”
It also plays a key role in rhino conservation.
“The black rhino is on our logo, and our zoo is the only one that has successfully figured out the husbandry and breeding of Sumatran rhinos. We remain actively involved in their conservation. The last two Sumatran rhinos born here were returned to live in a national park in Sumatra.
“These rhinos are critically endangered; while many have given up on them, we have not. Our scientists continue to work in Indonesia alongside Indonesian scientists and government officials. The challenge is ensuring the protection of these parks and keeping poachers and loggers out so the remaining rhinos can survive.”
Community and coexistence
In recent years, conservation efforts have evolved to emphasise coexistence.
“Whether it’s rhinos or cheetahs, the world is no longer a wilderness empty of people—it’s a world full of people, says Maynard. “The key is creating spaces where both people and wildlife can thrive.
“We’ve also been fortunate to expand our conservation efforts beyond our zoo’s walls. One of our most successful initiatives is the Conservation Fellows Program, which has grown tremendously in the past decade. We now support 10 young people from conservation-focused nations in a two-year programme.”
Fellows come from places like the Republic of Congo, Thailand, and India, representing 12 conservation programmes. These young conservationists are in the early stages of their careers, and through this programme, they gain valuable experience, network with other fellows worldwide, and receive support for their work.
“It’s incredibly rewarding that our zoo can have a global impact, not just in conservation itself, but by helping people in these nations develop the skills to lead conservation efforts in their communities.
“It’s a very heartening programme.”
A front door for conservation
Closer to home, he adds:
“Being involved in the local community is essential. While we are engaged in conservation efforts worldwide, at the end of the day, we are the zoo for Cincinnati and this region.
“Just two blocks from the zoo, we created an urban learning garden that is truly remarkable, and the local schools are deeply engaged with it. Every student participates in different aspects of the garden, and we’ve worked hard to be a good neighbour.
“Zoos are in the animal business, but we’re also in the people business. If our only goal was to breed rhinos, we could do that on a large farm in the countryside. However, with 2 million visitors yearly, our fundamental mission is to communicate why wildlife and nature conservation matter.
“The best way to do that is by inspiring people.”
Too often, environmental messages are gloomy, making it seem like the world is doomed.
“I don’t believe that’s true. Nature is complex and resilient, and there are many examples of species making comebacks because people acted. In the US, peregrine falcons were once extinct in the lower 48 states, but they rebounded thanks to conservation efforts like captive breeding at Cornell University and the removal of harmful pesticides.”
Today, peregrine falcons are seen almost year-round. The same is true for bald eagles, wolves, and American alligators.
“If people make an effort, by protecting habitat, cleaning up the environment, and in some cases, breeding animals in captivity, populations can recover.”
Zoos are a great front door for conservation: “You don’t need to be a birdwatcher or an explorer to appreciate wildlife. It’s a perfect place to discover how fascinating nature is and why it’s worth protecting.”
A greener approach
Cincinnati Zoo is working towards a Net Zero goal and has made significant progress.
“We’re very fortunate to have a civil engineer named Mark Fisher at our zoo,” says Maynard. “He was hired 19 years ago from a major construction company after working on some of our buildings. He wasn’t brought in to make us the greenest zoo in America or to make us known for sustainability, but as an engineer, he started measuring things.
“Mark quickly noticed we were wasting water and energy and needed to be more efficient.”
He began by addressing water use, fixing existing systems, and implementing rainwater collection. Now, the zoo captures almost all the rainwater that falls on site. “We have huge cisterns, including a one-million-gallon cistern beneath our elephant facility, allowing us to reuse rainwater. All the animals that swim do so in rainwater, and it supplies all our moats, waterfalls, and about half of our irrigation needs.
“This has led to significant savings compared to purchasing tap water. We’ve also driven improvements in our energy and lighting systems. As a result, even though the zoo is twice as busy as when Mark started and about 50% larger, we use less energy than we did back then by being smarter with our resources.”
Almost all of the zoo’s electricity now comes from solar instead of coal.
“It’s important for a zoo like ours to demonstrate that sustainability isn’t just something that happens in places like California—it can be done right here in the Midwest. You just have to commit to it and take action.”
A big year for Cincinnati Zoo
Looking ahead, new species will be settling in at the zoo during its 150th year.
“This summer, we’re bringing in sea otters and bringing back black bears. On 1 April, we’re opening a new exhibit for Siamang gibbons from Borneo, along with rhinoceros hornbills, Asian small-clawed otters, and Babirusa pigs. Several new species are arriving just this year.”
Beyond that, the zoo is also building a new facility for Mexican wolves, a species it is involved in conserving in the American Southwest. “We’re also creating a new giraffe habitat,” he adds. “Our current yard holds five giraffes, but we’re moving them to the area where our elephants used to be, allowing space for 15 giraffes, which will be a significant improvement.
“That move will also enable us to build a larger rhino yard. Looking further ahead, we’ll construct a large marine exhibit for sea lions and polar bears over the next decade.”
“Just as importantly, thanks to our growing endowment, we’re expanding our mission, particularly in environmental and conservation impact.”
This includes focused programs for African cats, African apes, and rhinos in both Asia and Africa.
“Closer to home, we’re working in the Bahamas to help protect reefs and prevent dredging. There’s a lot of opportunity for direct involvement, and we’re expanding those efforts, which I’m very proud of.”
A zoo for the community
Looking back on his nearly five decades at the zoo, Maynard says:
“Like everyone in the zoo field, I started because I’m a wildlife biologist with a deep passion for animals. That passion is stronger than ever. But over the years, what has stood out to me the most is how deeply the zoo is woven into the fabric of this community.”
“Wherever I go, whether it’s the grocery store or a gas station, people want to talk about the zoo. Not just about the animals but about how the zoo has been part of their family’s lives. Parents tell me how their kids grew up going to Zoo Camp, some of whom became scientists or veterinarians. Others mention how their children attended our high school, the Zoo Academy.
“It’s an incredible mix—the zoo is more involved than ever in global wildlife conservation, yet we also play a massive role in our own community. Every family here has a story about how the zoo has impacted them across generations. Measuring that kind of impact directly is hard, but you can feel it.”
Throughout the anniversary year, Cincinnati Zoo will be presenting fun facts and sharing interesting stories from its history.
