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Animals Depend On People Too

Adopt your favorite Cincinnati Zoo animal today and be a vital part of their well-being! As a Cincinnati Zoo ADOPT Parent, you’ll ensure they receive food, toys, and enriching experiences. Join us in delivering top-tier care to the animals you cherish!

A Love That Lasts—Even Underground

This Valentine’s Day, honor your special someone with a truly unique gift — adopt a pair of American burying beetles! When you adopt a pair of American burying beetles, you’re honoring a love that goes deeper—literally! These rare and endangered beetles are known for their remarkable partnership, working side by side to raise their young.

Your adoption comes with a personalized certificate featuring your beetle pair’s names—perfect for dedicating to your sweetheart. It’s a unique, meaningful way to say “our love helps save a species.”

When you ADOPT a pair of American burying beetles, you’ll also be entered to win a behind-the-scenes tour for two at World of the Insect. On this tour, guests will meet the American burying beetle’s incredible invertebrate neighbors and learn more from their keeper on what makes insects so amazing!

Because the best Valentine’s gifts don’t just come from the heart—they help protect the planet. 💕

ADOPT an American Burying Beetle Pair

ADOPT an Animal

Choose between four symbolic ADOPT packages: Wildlife Ally, Wildlife Champion, Wildlife Advocate or Wildlife Hero

ADOPT an Animal

ADOPT an Animal: Digital

Fiona the hippo

Receive a digital ADOPT Parent Certificate and Animal Information Sheet

ADOPT an Animal: Digital

Choose from any of the following animals to ADOPT: 

  • African Lion
  • American Alligator
  • American Black Bear
  • Asian Elephant
  • Asian Small-Clawed Otter
  • Bald Eagle
  • Bonobo
  • Brazilian Porcupine
  • Cheetah
  • Florida Manatee
  • Galapagos Tortoise
  • Greater Flamingo
  • Hippopotamus
  • King Penguins
  • Komodo Dragon
  • Little Blue Penguins
  • Malayan Tiger
  • Masai Giraffe
  • Meerkats
  • North American River Otter
  • Red Panda
  • Sea Otters
  • Snow Leopard
  • Sumatran Orangutan
  • Two-Toed Sloth
  • Western Lowland Gorilla

All funds raised through the ADOPT an Animal program help to provide food, housing, enrichment, and more for the Zoo’s plant and animal family. Thank you for helping us provide world-class care for the plants and animals that you love.  For questions about the ADOPT program, please contact [email protected].

Please note that, unfortunately, we are unable to mail ADOPTs internationally.

Please allow two to four weeks for delivery of any physical (mailed) ADOPT materials and two-week delivery for digital materials.

  • john the lion looking at camera
  • bonobo laying in the trees
  • front view of a brazilian porcupine
  • a cheetah sitting in the grass
  • remus cheetah companion dog
  • manatee swimming
  • galapagos tortoise on land
  • side view of a pink flamingo
  • Fiona the hippo
  • young komodo dragon sticking its tongue out
  • little blue penguin swimming underwater
  • tiger walking towards camera at dusk
  • meerkat mob sitting in straw
  • otter close up
  • red panda in the tree looking at camera
  • Male Bornean Orangutan (Photo: Eric Kilby)
  • juno the baby sloth
  • Gorilla World

By becoming a Cincinnati Zoo ADOPT Parent, you help to provide food, toys, and fun enrichment items to our Zoo’s animal family. Join us as we continue to provide world-class care to the animals you love!

Thank you for your interest in our ADOPT an Animal program! Currently our ADOPT program is on pause as we make updates to better serve the Zoo community and give back to our favorite Cincinnati Zoo animals. Our new ADOPT program will kick off in May 2024! Stay tuned for exciting updates!

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