News and Stories

Zoo Babies Kicks Off Friday at the Cincinnati Zoo

 CINCINNATI (April 28, 2015) – Get ready to meet the cutest little baby faces at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden during the 30th annual Zoo Babies, presented by Coldwell Banker West Shell. Throughout May, six-foot-tall stork statues will mark the spots where babies can be found at the Zoo.

There are 13 babies in the Africa exhibit alone (14 if you count Nasha the giraffe that is celebrating her first birthday today). Visitors can get close-up views of ten painted dog pups (see pup key to tell them apart) and the three lion cubs, “Uma,” “Willa,” and “Kya,” from the glass viewing areas. Their patient parents are also on exhibit tolerating pounces, nips, hair pulling, tail tugging, etc…

Head lion keeper Wendy Rice said that the cubs’ parents, “John” and “Imani,” “are not good disciplinarians. When the cubs get too rough or ignore the more subtle cues from a sibling or parent, that’s when the adult lions should step in and really put the girls in their place… but no one does! Instead, we wind up with Kya hanging from John’s mane and Uma launching herself full power at Imani’s face as she tries to sleep. The few times that John has made some efforts at being more forceful with the girls, Imani has actually intervened and smacked John in the face! We all know the importance of parents presenting a united front, so, unfortunately, the result is that we have three bold little cubbies that are happily testing the outermost limits of their “grrrl power” on a daily basis.”

Other Zoo Babies spread throughout the Zoo include three bonobos, two gorillas, a bongo, a serval, two capybaras, a rough green snake, giant spiny leaf insects, thorny devils, little penguin chicks and kea chicks. “This is the largest and most varied group of babies we’ve had in Zoo Babies thirty-year history. We’re particularly excited about the successes we’ve had with the endangered African painted dogs and the hard-to-breed kea,” said Thane Maynard, Cincinnati Zoo Executive Director.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to seeing baby animals, visitors can enjoy two weekends of fun family entertainment during Zoo Babies, starting with Avengers Assemble on Saturday, May 2. Catch this exciting live show featuring Thor, Captain America, Spider-man and Iron Man at the Wings of Wonder Theater at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Then, on Saturday & Sunday, May 16th & 17th, families are invited to see Storybook Fun with Curious George. Show times are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Zoo Babies, presented by Coldwell Banker West Shell, is celebrated the entire month of May! The event is FREE with regular Zoo admission.