Zoo Babies
Big babies and little ones are included in Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Zoo Babies class of ’25! Visit or follow the Zoo on social media to see the babies in action throughout May.
Make your visit even more memorable by participating in the Zoo Babies Expedition scavenger hunt. Created by General Electric Credit Union, this fun activity for kids and adults alike invites you to find special signs at four different Zoo Babies exhibits, discover the secret word, and be entered to win prizes.
Meet the Babies!
Manatees
Around two years old
Rescued in early 2024. Learn more
See the manatees at Manatee Springs!
Sunburst diving beetle larvae are fierce aquatic hunters, using their curved jaws to snatch prey. With their sleek bodies and ambush skills, they’re the underwater tigers of the insect world! When this larva is ready to undergo metamorphosis, it will create a cozy chamber on a sandy beach where it’ll spend two weeks turning into a black and yellow spotted adult beetle.
This thorny devil walking stick nymph may be small now, but it’s already sporting the spiky armor it’ll need to mimic a thorn-covered twig. It’s a master of disguise, blending in with leaves and branches to avoid hungry predators. As they grow, these clever insects molt several times, shedding their old exoskeleton and revealing a slightly larger, thornier version underneath.
The dead leaf mantis doesn’t just look like a dried-up leaf—it moves like one too, swaying gently to sell the disguise. It’s the perfect camouflage for a patient predator lying in wait. Dead leaf mantises even have leaf-like veins and jagged edges on their bodies to complete the illusion—predators and prey alike often don’t see them until it’s too late!
Reptiles
Armadillo lizard
Aruba Island Rattlesnake
Rhinoceros viper

Free Admission for Moms on Mother's Day
The Cincinnati Zoo is wild about moms! On Sunday, May 11, celebrate Mother’s Day with the special women in your life and your favorite animal moms! Make the moms in your life feel extra special this Mother’s Day at the Cincinnati Zoo. Every mom that comes to the Zoo on Mother’s Day will get in for FREE! While Supplies Last: Moms, pick up your free seeds from General Electric Credit Union!
When you arrive at the Zoo, please let our employees at the turnstiles know that you are a mother in order to receive free admission for the day.
Event Info