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The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known as the Greenest Zoo in America and is home to the world-famous Fiona the hippo!
Celebrating 150 Years of the Cincinnati Zoo
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden celebrates the 150th anniversary of its opening in 2025. In our anniversary year, we will reflect on our rich history while running toward our bright future! There is much to be done as we continue the work of bringing people “close enough to care” about animals and the planet. Cincinnati has always been a Zoo town and for that we thank you and hope to see you soon at the Zoo!
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Cincinnati Zoo Leadership
Thane Maynard, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Director
Read more about Cincinnati Zoo Leadership
Cincinnati Zoo Communications staff:
Chad Yelton, VP PR/Marketing/Visitor Experience
Michelle Curley, Communications Director
Amy LaBarbara, Marketing Manager
Angela Hatke, Communications Manager
Review all of Cincinnati Zoo’s news releases, news statements and blogs.
If you would like to be added to our media list to receive press releases and stay up-to-date with the latest news, please email [email protected].
Who We Are
Who We Are
The world-famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is committed to inspiring visitors to care about wildlife and wild places. It was voted the #1 Best Zoo in a USA TODAY reader poll. The Cincinnati Zoo has 400 animal and 3000 plant species. The Zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) since 1978. The Cincinnati Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Cincinnati Zoo Facts
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is the second-oldest Zoo in the country
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden engages more than 1.8 million people a year
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is home to the world-famous hippo Fiona!
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is home to 90 endangered species and participates in more than 30 conservation projects around the world.
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden reaches 1 million-plus students, educators, and families with science education programs annually
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is internationally known for its success in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants and engages in research and conservation projects worldwide.
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known as the #GreenestZooInAmerica and is doing its part to conserve natural resources that are critical to saving wildlife and its habitats and is committed to greening its daily operations and reducing its impact on the environment with rain gardens, recycled building materials, solar panels and more.
What Makes Us Stand Out
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is dedicated to creating adventure, conveying knowledge, conserving nature, and serving the community.
Community Engagement: The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has strong, longstanding relationships with our local community and the city of Cincinnati. We are working to build and invest in a safe, equitable, resilient, and healthy community that coexists with wildlife through passionate collaborative connections with our neighbors and local organizations.
Saving Wildlife: The Cincinnati Zoo is home to 90 endangered species and participates in more than 30 conservation projects around the world.
Grounded in Science: The Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife’s (CREW) world-renowned scientists form critical partnerships with other leading conservationists and governmental and non-governmental organizations to achieve CREW’s mission to Save Species with Science®. Through advanced animal and plant research, CREW is leading the way to secure a positive future for endangered species.
Sustainability: The Cincinnati Zoo is working toward increasing our resilience and our regenerative impact in our own backyard, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration efforts. Learn More
Learn More About Us
- Listen to our podcast, Cincinnati Zoo Tales
- Listen to Zoo Director Thane Maynard’s podcast, 90 Second Naturalist
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), TikTok and YouTube
- Read the Cincinnati Zoo Annual Report
- 150 Years: Cincinnati Zoo Timeline
B-Roll
Photos
All news media are welcome to use this b-roll. Please contact [email protected] for permission and rights.
For pictures and video of wildlife, contact the Cincinnati Zoo Communications Team by writing to [email protected].
If you have a media request, including interviews, social media collaboration, photo/video requests, commercial shoots, and other inquiries, please contact the Communications team at [email protected].
Typically, behind-the-scenes access to media is not approved to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the staff and animals. However, if it is deemed appropriate for media to have access to non-public areas, Animal Care staff, in conjunction with the Communications team, may determine a safe distance or vantage point from which media can work. Animal staff will reserve the right to restrict the movement of media personnel or to ask them to leave at any time.
Anyone can take photos and video during their visit to our properties for private, personal use only. Taking photos or video for commercial purposes, is prohibited.
If your photos are for non-commercial purposes (including student projects), you may visit our park as a paying guest and take your images provided these guidelines are followed:
- Photos cannot be sold or published
- No tripods or monopods are permitted to block guest walkways
- Selfie sticks may not be used
- Guests cannot cross Zoo barriers or negatively impact other guests
- The party is not permitted to disrupt Zoo guests, staff, or the animals in any way
- For the comfort of the animals and our guests, please do not take flash photography indoors
- No special assistance shall be provided (including golf carts, security, etc.)
- Parties not adhering to these policies may be asked to leave the premises
On occasion, our photographers will photograph or film guests for our organization’s educational or promotional use. Guest entry to Zoo grants our organization permission for use of this imagery.
Our team members reserve the right to approach photographers/videographers in the park about their work. If the appropriate permission from our Communications team has not been granted or if policies are not being followed appropriately, the party will be asked to return their equipment to their vehicle before enjoying the rest of their visit at our property.
For the safety and wellbeing of our guests and animals, the launching and/or operation of a UAS (drone) from or above our properties is strictly prohibited.
On occasion, our internal team does operate a UAS (drone). This operation is in strict accordance with FAA guidelines, and the operator is in constant communication with team members to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our guests and animals.