Holy Toledo (had to get one in a review like this ), this review was a long time coming! Review of the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium https://www.toledozoo.org Officially opening in 1900, the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium had its beginnings when a woodchuck was donated. The little animal collection grew steadily, but it wasn’t until the 1920’s and 30’s when expansion and development really took off. Several new buildings (inspired by Spanish architecture in Toledo, Spain) by the WPA were erected to help grow the Zoo’s collection, many of which still stand to this day. The Zoo faced the need to redevelop and grow once again in the 1980’s, this time to save itself from closure. Thanks to a change in management, including full operation by the Toledo Zoological Society; new and naturalistic exhibit complexes such as the world-famous “Hippoquarium;” and new-found successes in breeding, Toledo has managed to bounce back from the brink. About 10,000 individual animals making up around 720 species can be found in Toledo’s current animal collection. It was a rather fascinating experience walking around this zoo because it almost felt like I was visiting two different facilities at the same time. What I mean is that there are seemingly two styles of displaying animals that vastly contrast each other – the historical and traditional taxonomic groups, and the modern, geographical immersion complexes that are mostly commonplace in zoos these days. It made for an interesting comparison of these two opposite worlds that came together under one establishment, and how they may potentially flow together. When it comes to determining which of these styles was more successful, the results may actually be a bit surprising… Animal Exhibit Complexes Arctic Encounter – In the wave of newer polar bear habitats opening across the country, Toledo was one of the first to provide a more naturalistic environment for the species in 2000. Additionally, the Zoo has recently been one of the powerhouses in the breeding of polar bears, having bred eight cubs in the last fifteen years! The bear exhibit itself is on the small side, with a land area consisting mainly of concrete with a little stream and raised cliff area for additional terrain variety. It would be great if some natural substrate was implemented along with an expansion. On the flip side, the exhibit’s other features help give the bears a good variety of enrichment. The pool is fairly large with varying depths; there is an off-display digging yard according to some signage; an ice cave to chill out and guests can have an up-close view; and then there’s my favorite part next to the main exhibit. There is a smaller yard surrounded by white artificial rock meant to represent a glacier, while split below is an underwater portion not for the bears, but for the Zoo’s seals to swim. Even cooler, there is a protective barrier in the ground, separating the seals’ breathing hole from the antsy predators. It’s creativity like this that can really help an exhibit stand out and make up for some other less successful components. While this polar bear exhibit could benefit from an expansion, the elements that encourage natural behavior and excellent enrichment help make this an overall average enclosure for the species. This Arctic complex isn’t just about polar bears though; next-door are the previously mentioned seals. The two species (harbor and gray) share a great home with an expansive swimming pool with nice viewing (part of which goes beneath the bears as mentioned), a rocky shoreline, and a pretty coniferous backdrop. Finally, across from the marine mammals, a long and heavily planted habitat for gray wolves (didn’t see) can be seen. Viewing is mainly through fencing, but on one end is a nicely designed rustic cabin with window viewing. The last feature I’d like to mention is the educational signage. It is quite extensive and well-done, detailing the concepts and ideas behind how the complex was designed, the threats that the Arctic faces in a rapidly changing world, the many inhabitants of the inhospitable environment, and even some ties to the Inuit culture. Many of these nicely executed features and exhibits made for a “cool” start to my Toledo adventure. Africa! – Originally opened in 2004, this is the second of two exhibit complexes to open on the new portion of the Zoo’s property. There is a nice feeling of being in the world’s second largest continent, from the rustic look on the signage and props, to the many amenities on offer in the village. These include a couple snack stands, gift stands, a carousel, an event center, the giraffe feeding station called “Tower Ridge,” and even a ropes course. Until earlier this year, the colossal savanna habitat (five acres, is it?) was one entire enclosure that seemed to go as far as the eye can see. At the time of my visit though, it was split into three habitats. The front portion with a waterhole (and artificial crocodile to go with it!) housed a single male Addra gazelle; the middle habitat is shared by giraffe (Masai and reticulated), ostrich, Watusi cattle, a male greater kudu, Thomson’s gazelle, and guineafowl (didn’t see), and consists of a couple shady trees, tall grass, and even a safari jeep within; lastly, the back third was being modified to become a shared enclosure for yak, Bactrian camel, and reindeer. It is a real shame this area will no longer be strictly African animals because the savanna looks great, with a vast amount of space and nice details to make for a fantastic mixed-species habitat. While it would be nice to have more viewing opportunities on foot for such a large enclosure, this is partly made up for with the train ride. It’s an enjoyable loop that not only allows for some extra viewing angles, but even a brief peek into some off-display pens. I managed to catch a glimpse of the Addra gazelle and a male ostrich as my train car rolled past. To finish off this well-done complex, there is a large and lush area for cheetahs that is mostly surrounded by the train tracks. Barnyard – This is the Zoo’s newest section, opening in late 2020. Although I never actually entered the area, I passed by a few times and was able to get a good idea of it. From what I saw, it is a series of paddocks where guests can get up-close and interact with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and even a turkey. Tiger Terrace – This is probably Toledo’s least successful exhibit complex in my opinion. Starting with the area’s strongest habitat, “Flamingo Key” made its debut in 2014. It is a decently-sized aviary enclosed in mesh, containing colorful birds such as American flamingos, red-breasted geese, roseate spoonbills, and even demoiselle cranes. There is a large pool surrounded by greenery, and a viewing deck where guests are in the same space as the birds, giving this exhibit a unique touch. Nearby, an elderly female spectacled bear inhabits a grassy enclosure with a huge rock formation as its main feature. While the exhibit could use some more plantings and climbing structures if it wishes to become home to younger bears, I felt it worked okay for the current older specimen. Down the one-way path, the former penguin pool has been modified for Patagonian maras. With the many rocks, good size, and hilly sand terrain, it was actually a decently utilized space. Finally, the namesake felines reside in a pair of tiny exhibits that are the least impressive of this complex. Both of these Amur tiger enclosures consist mainly of woodchips with a small pool and very little furnishings, surrounded by mock rock and viewing through either small windows or mesh. The one highlight of these exhibits was watching a pair of tiger cubs as they wrestled around their mother, followed by play-stalking their way towards the viewing area. Tembo Trail – An African complex (quite loosely at this point) that was originally known as “African Savanna” when it debuted in the late 1980’s. However, it was renovated into its current state in 2012 primarily to expand its facilities for African elephants. It’s a bit ironic that when I first saw Milwaukee’s Adventure Africa, I thought Toledo’s elephant area was a good comparison; well, here I am seeing this particular exhibit a couple years later! That said, I can see a number of similarities between the zoos’ elephant habitats. This is most prominent in the enrichment on hand (or trunk in this case), like the hanging browse feeders, tons of sand, large toys, and even a few “trunk holes” in the barn wall. Speaking of which, Toledo’s elephant barn offers a huge, sandy room for the pachyderms, along with a number of additional stalls not visible to the public. The barn also provides a network of naked mole rat tunnels to watch the little creatures scurry about, and a unique up-close viewing patio during warmer months. Both habitats (which each contained a single elephant cow) are about average to slightly small in terms of size, with one of them having a pool and a bit more variety in terrain, even offering some grass. Toledo’s elephant facility may be hard to compare to some other exhibits of its kind, but I feel it does the job with offering an enriching home, and would do well if sticking to strictly bulls or older cows. Another iconic feature of this complex is the “Hippoquarium,” very famous in the zoo world for being the first to give guests the opportunity to see the aquatic pachyderms in their underwater glory. It was pretty cool to see this revolutionary habitat in person, and it’s easy to see its reason to fame. The Nile hippo habitat is really nice, with a long and deep pool with naturalistic rockwork in the back, topped with foliage to give a nice riverside feel to the habitat. There is also some land area that looked small at first, but it appeared to wrap around the nearby buildings, so there could be more that isn’t seen. The main viewing above and below the water line is excellent; plus, one can also look through some peepholes by the elephants, or even stand above a glass portion of the floor! Moving onto the other exhibits, a small indoor room for Tasmanian devils greets visitors as they pass under the archway, while across from the hippos is a river otter habitat (formerly spot-necked and Cape clawless otters) that, aside from the geographic misplacement, is great with a deep pool and plenty of natural substrate. Further down the path, a male Indian rhino (once white rhinos) inhabits an enclosure that is well-shaded and comes with a pool, but has a strange design that looks like it’s built entirely on a slope. With the rhino mainly hanging out and grazing at the top of the hill where it’s most likely flatter, I can see where viewing may be kind of awkward. Next door is a rotational grassy exhibit for yak, Bactrian camel, and reindeer; on my visit, I thought I saw a yak from a distance, but by the time I arrived at the exhibit, I didn’t see any animals. Then, the highlight of this complex comes into view – a large meerkat habitat. At first glance, it seemed nice enough with a decent amount of digging space, some nice plantings, and a panoramic view beyond; around the corner though, I was shocked to see another meerkat amongst the rocks and foliage! I’m not sure if Toledo has one huge habitat for meerkats or two separate ones, but nonetheless I was impressed and would consider this one of the better exhibits of its kind I’ve seen. To conclude this complex, a trio of brown bears (two grizzlies and a Kodiak) reside in an exhibit that once held white lions. While the viewing is great with expansive viewing windows and the bears can be seen while watching the meerkats, the enclosure is quite small and features minimal details other than a bit of rockwork, a tub as the source of water, and dirt as the sole substrate available. On the whole, this complex has the potential to be a unique African complex (and it opened as such at first), but some adjustments both in species and exhibits would be needed to achieve this. Aviary – While this building opened in its current state in 1998, it was originally constructed in 1937. One year after reopening its doors, it managed to snag an AZA Award for Exhibit of the Year. Having seen it myself, I can see why as not only is it the most successful of the WPA animal buildings, but this is probably Toledo’s strongest exhibit complex in my opinion. It begins with the area’s sole outdoor habitat – “Cassowary Crossing.” It’s a smaller enclosure for the dangerous ratities, but the close viewing through the fencing and lush vegetation help make up for this. Going inside takes one to a large room that looks through some equally big windows into an incredibly lush habitat for southern pudu. There is also a smaller side exhibit for Pesquet’s parrot (a first for me). After this, the focus seems to shift back-and-forth between the tropics and grasslands. Each bird exhibit in the jungle areas is viewed through mesh, featuring great height for the most part, a plethora of perches, lush plants, woodchip substrate, and a great array of species mixed in together. Some of the highlight species include rhinoceros hornbill, chevrotain, Andean cock-of-the-rock, Luzon bleeding heart dove, birds-of-paradise (lesser and Raggiana), Nicobar pigeon, and Siamese fireback pheasant (another first). When it comes to the grasslands biome being represented, all three habitats are interestingly enough the only walkthrough enclosures in the entire building. Up first is a long exhibit based around Australia, and is the largest of the trio. The budgies, cockatiels, Victoria crowned pigeons, Gouldian finches, Bourke’s parakeets, spur-winged lapwing, and many more share a pretty decent space with a nice blend of bare trees to perch on, a small pond, and even a ground floor that appears to be packed down sand. On a side note, a budgie feeding experience known as “Keet Retreat” normally takes place here but was closed at the time. The other two habitats are the final two bird areas of the building. These two, which are dedicated to Africa, are smaller room-like exhibits, but they still do offer a good variety of naturalism. In one room resides species such as superb starling and pin-tailed whydah (another first); the other contains violet-backed starling (another first), African gray parrot, kagu (another first), among others. One final point worth noting about this building is the implementation of its historical architecture; this is one reason why Toledo’s bird area works so great, along with several of the Zoo’s other historical structures. Seeing these slices of the wild set amongst ancient-looking brickwork, arches, and drywall (painted with either natural backdrops or solid colors) is a neat sight, and is very nicely presented throughout. There is never a time that it interferes with the experience of looking at birds in their natural habitat. They blend surprisingly well together, and I’d even say it gives the exhibits a unique flare. This world of birds then finishes off with an educational area that seems to be geared more towards children; animals such as sloths, lowland pacas (didn’t see), golden headed lion tamarin, and armadillos are found in smaller, nicely furnished exhibits here as well. Primate Forest – The primary appeal to this set of habitats is the ability to rotate multiple primate species throughout the enclosures. There are a trio of outdoor exhibits, and a pair of tall indoor rooms for the arboreal animals. While not especially naturalistic, they are fairly spacious, and do at least offer some good climbing opportunities and grass. At one point, there is even a deck (closed at the time of my visit) that allows one to get at eye-level above the ground. The best exhibit here is the dedicated one for red pandas. The little red critters have the largest home here, packed with wooden ramps, hammocks, logs, and so much more to keep them occupied. The species list is: Francois langur, colobus monkey, ring-tailed lemur, white-cheeked gibbon, Allen’s swamp monkey*, mongoose lemur*, and red panda. Those marked with an asterisk I did not see. Aquarium – This is another WPA building (completed in 1939) that recently received a substantial renovation, being unveiled in early 2015. While it may not create as big of waves as Omaha’s Scott Aquarium, this is still a very strong aquatic complex. There is a wide variety of tanks and displays on offer in this historic structure, ranging from singular basic tanks, to gigantic underwater ecosystems teaming with fish. While the animal exhibits are modern and for the most part very pretty to look at (with plenty of natural elements depending on the species), one is surrounded by the characteristic WPA-era bricks and neat aquatic tile arts, which run along the entry hallway. Like the Aviary, this results a pleasant blend that gives the building a unique and memorable flare. The main highlight is “The Reef,” the Aquarium’s largest tank containing blacktip reef shark, zebra shark, blue tang, unicorn tang, angelfish, triggerfish, etc. The viewing windows look into a cool rocky reef that offers several twists and turns for the many species. The building’s next two largest tanks are the “Gulf of Mexico” and “Flooded Forest.” The former has a rescued green sea turtle, bonnethead shark, and rays (Southern and cownose) as its star inhabitants; while the latter tank is a home for arapaima, catfish, pacu, among others. Both are a nice first impression of the Aquarium, though a bit on the small side for their occupants. Other notable features include a darkened section with flashlight fish and other crustaceans that is pretty cool; “Penguin Beach,” an African penguin habitat that is small, but comes with a very deep pool; a kelp forest zone where a leopard shark tank can be seen after actually pushing aside some artificial kelp dangling from the ceiling; clownfish; garden eels; the always neat Japanese spider crabs; and moon jellies floating elegantly in a circular tank. Great Apes – Bornean orangutans and gorillas are the stars of this 1993 complex. The red apes have a few outdoor yards that looked to be on the smaller side, each with grass and climbing opportunities that offer some height. Similarly, their indoor rooms may not have much in terms of floor space, but once again are fairly nice height wise. One thing I also liked about this indoor area is how the guests don’t view the orangutans from the ground level; rather, they can see the arboreal primates from mid-air, giving a unique vantage point compared to most others I’ve come across. On the other side of the building, gorillas reside in similarly-designed rooms as well. While I would consider this ape complex average on the whole, there are two exhibit areas that did stand out as pretty solid. First, the largest indoor ape enclosure has huge viewing windows, along with a good amount of ground space and plenty of climbing frames; I watched as a female orangutan briefly swung down from her perch to the ground. Is this space rotated between the two species? The second stand-out habitat was “Gorilla Meadow,” an outdoor habitat for the Zoo’s gorilla troop. While the opportunities for climbing and getting off the ground are limited, the large primates have plenty of space to roam, complete with lush green grass dotted with shady trees, rocks, and a couple large logs. The surrounding foliage also provides a good illusion of a forest clearing. One final bonus was watching two youngsters cause mischief amongst their troop! Promedica Museum of Natural History – Never have I seen a Zoo put in so much effort into an exhibit that doesn’t have as strong of a focus on displaying live animals! The building was originally opened in the 1930’s, but renovated into its current form in 2019. The result is a superb structure that contains an array of creative displays, history, and tons of surprises around every corner. This could almost pass as its own museum facility with how much there is to see! The first floor is primarily a museum of animal and biome dioramas. In the main room, there are a couple of modern-day environments represented such as an American bison amongst wolves, and a black bear and cougar traversing a cliff side. As neat as these are, they are overshadowed by an awesome array of denizens of the Ice Age. I saw a woolly mammoth facing off against a saber-tooted tiger, a stag moose (similar to an Irish elk) standing proudly, an American lion posing, short-faced bear and giant ground sloth peeking through the thick foliage, and many more. All of these dioramas are magnificent to behold, and make a great first impression when entering the complex. Along the back walls, the exhibits feature a focus on the ecosystems and local wildlife of Ohio. Up first, there is a wetlands room in which the space is seemingly surrounded by a peaceful brook. Amongst the rocks and aquatic plants reside salamanders and eastern hellbenders, the latter of which have a section of their tank that can be crawled under. The centerpiece of the room is a little sturgeon touch tank. Directly after, the first floor’s highlight can be seen – “Oak Forest.” There are larger-than-life models of small animals, including toad, pill bugs, spider, and snake. These are all set amongst a scene of natural plants, but that’s not all – some of the stumps, logs, etc. can be flipped over or peeked through – and there would be an animal staring back! I had lots of fun discovering toads, snails, and spiders while exploring these enjoyable woodlands. The creativity and immersion were spectacular, and I can see how kids would adore this area with the colorful models and admiring all the “gross animals.” The last area on the first floor is a large tropical greenhouse that can be walked through, but this was closed on my visit. The second floor would make herp and invertebrate fans salivate. In addition to a couple rooms with various artifacts and art displays (the former was closed, while the latter I somehow missed), the floor consists of several terrariums of many shapes and sizes. The largest of these are at one end of the building, and they are a pair of Komodo dragon habitats. Although on the small side, they do offer awesome up-close viewing, and are fairly naturalistic representing the drier scrublands. Even throughout the hallways, there are tons of fish tanks and exhibits for reptiles and amphibians galore. These all look nice, and feature a wide variety of species including sea kraits (another first), dart frog, gila monster, hognose snake, lionfish, urchins, the list goes on. My favorite section of this floor was the “Arthropods” gallery, a miniature invertebrate house that displays a wonderful variety of bugs in equally wonderful displays. Some of them range from smaller basic terrariums with natural elements, to gigantic ecosystems that seemingly dwarf their inhabitants. I haven’t been to many animal houses dedicated to invertebrates, but I don’t recall ever being this amazed by creatures without backbones. Some of the species list: taxi cab beetle, crabs (coconut and vampire), goliath bird eater, Madagascar hissing cockroach, red knee tarantula, giant centipede, black widow and emperor scorpion. Lastly, there is the “Venomous Snakes” gallery, but because I was heading for the Reptile House afterwards, I skipped this. While I could’ve used a bit longer to linger and admire the array of exhibits, from what I saw I was highly impressed and would confidently consider this one of the Zoo’s greatest sections. Reptile House – I will admit that I had very little time to check out this building, so I apologize if this section may seem incomplete. From what I recall, the terrariums ranged from smaller ones embedded into the walls, to some larger exhibits that seem like they never end. They looked well-done in terms of naturalism, whether it be a humid and misty mini-jungle, or a bamboo forest. A few of the species I recall are king cobra, Mexican jumping pitviper, dart frogs, and green anaconda. The two biggest highlights, and where I spent the most time, are in the back of the building. Up first is a pair of fantastic habitats for the tuatara (another first), with a good amount of space and plenty of rocks and plants for these “living fossils.” The second is a mid-sized habitat for Baru, a gigantic male saltwater crocodile. Although not particularly big, the naturalistic design is excellent, featuring a surprisingly deep pool in a jungle clearing-like setting; the vast viewing windows are a bonus as well. Other Exhibits – Several different animal exhibits can be found scattered around the establishment. A lush and spacious dingo habitat is on the historical Zoo side of the pedestrian bridge just before Tiger Terrace. Next, there is a pair of small but average quality exhibits for snow leopards situated between Tiger Terrace and Tembo Trail. Then, behind Primate Forest lies a series of bird aviaries; I only just noticed these while walking by, but I remember spotting a couple of vulture species and snowy owl. Lastly, on each end of the pedestrian bridge are two bird of prey exhibits: on the historic side is a tall Eurasian eagle owl aviary, and on the newer side is a large aviary for bald eagles – both have good amounts of naturalism and perching, especially the latter birds. NOTE – Because of time restraints, I did not have a chance to visit the following: Nature’s Neighborhood, Pheasantry, and Galapagos Gardens. Visitor Experiences Similar to its southern neighbor, the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Toledo’s 51-acre property is split up thanks to a major roadway. While most of the Zoo’s major exhibit complexes and historical buildings are on the original property, the new expansion consisting of the main entrance, Africa!, and Arctic Encounter opened in the late 1990’s. Getting from one part of the facility to the other involves two methods. Either under the road via an old subway tunnel with neat zoo-themed graffiti art adorning the walls, or on a pedestrian bridge that gives views of the Zoo or the traffic that roars under one’s feet. The new land is laid out in a linear fashion, meaning one does have to back track in order to either exit the Zoo or progress towards the rest of the exhibits. On the other hand, the original land is an interesting mix of the old and new style exhibit complexes. The layout is a bit scattershot much like Lincoln Park, with seemingly little cohesive lead from one area to the next; the smaller amount of land also means that some of the zoo grounds appear to be a bit crammed together, or is easy to find oneself backtracking - thankfully neither of these instances happen often. On the bright side, how the Zoo utilizes this area is mostly executed pretty well. The landscaping, mostly consisting of small trees, is not as prevalent as some other zoos I’ve seen, but when it does appear it is pretty and goes nicely with the historical structures. Speaking of which, that is probably Toledo’s most well-known feature. In an era where most zoos are eliminating their past, this facility takes pride in maintaining their 1930’s WPA buildings with its original exterior and beautiful interior, blending it with sleek and modern displays that give the Zoo a character that stands out. It’s elements like this that can provide a breath of fresh air in experiencing zoological establishments. When it comes to guest amenities, there are two entrance plazas: “Blade Plaza” is situated on the new property as the Zoo’s main entry, and a smaller entrance next to the old property. For the most part, refreshments appeared to be found in smaller stands with the only notable restaurant being “Carnivore Café,” a former big cat house that was converted to its current state in 1993. There are also several non-animal attractions scattered around the Zoo, including those previously mentioned in Africa!, an ocean-themed splash park outside the Aquarium, the “Ziems Conservatory” near the Great Apescomplex, and the gigantic historical-looking Amphitheater where concerts take place. There is a decent amount that guests can take in beyond wildlife, which was nice to see for a smaller facility like Toledo. However, on my visit, most of this was practically non-existent due to the staff shortage that is plaguing the country at the moment. For example, this meant that only the occasional food/drink stand was operating, the smaller entrance was closed, and the main gift shop in “Blade Plaza” had its doors shut with gift carts in its place. It’s a real pity as for instance it would’ve been amazing to eat in one the Carnivore Café’s ancient cat cages. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Not many can say that they have met a cassowary up-close, for it is often considered the world’s most dangerous bird. I am thrilled to say that as of my Toledo visit, I am one of those. I did a behind-the-scenes tour, in which I was able to get nose-to-beak with a cassowary, and even feed it! Holding a pair of tongs, I would offer grapes through the fencing while the female bird, named Zilla, would snatch them, sometimes even hitting her crest in impatience. All during this time, the keeper I was with would talk about the species’ natural history, and about Toledo’s work with the birds. At the time of my visit, a younger male was also in residence off-display with plans to eventually be introduced to Zilla. I’ve always found cassowaries to be a very cool bird, but being able to safely encounter one up-close was truly an amazing experience I won’t forget! Overall: So, what does one get when two different zoo worlds clash together? The result is a zoological establishment that is a bit mixed, but on the whole a pleasant experience. The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium has its share of things it could improve on, such as exhibitry and a layout that is a bit haphazard, and a need for reorganizing some areas for a more geographical flow. However, what does swing this Zoo back in favor is a superb collection of animals both common and uncommon; a historical flare that gives the Zoo a unique sense of identity; and, when it does accurately execute an exhibit complex, it does so very well (Aviary, Museum, and Africa! being the stand-outs for me). Those that wish to see a number of rare creatures and adore historical zoo architecture will likely be most drawn to this Zoo. I probably wouldn’t recommend making a special trip for Toledo, but it is an interesting stop if in the area that offers a unique experience one can’t find at many other places. Toledo is currently focusing on two different future projects that are planned to be completed in the next few years. One is a new habitat for their brown bears, and the other is creating a tiger breeding complex. The latter sounds like it will take up some land the Zoo hopes to acquire.
Thanks for the great review! It must have taken you a long time to type it up and I appreciate the effort. Now for a few comments... I agree that walking around Toledo Zoo is like "visiting two different facilities at the same time". All of the 1930s-era WPA projects are mainly excellent. The Aviary has a great collection, the Aquarium has been revamped and I counted 37 tanks during my 2018 visit, the Reptile House is a joy to see (although some of the terrariums are too small) and the Carnivore House Cafe is wonderful. All of that old stuff is a delight and it gives the zoo real character. The Natural History Museum was closed when I was last there, undergoing its expensive renovation at the time, but it looks brilliant from photos and reviews via fellow zoo nerds. It seems as if it is now quite possibly the highlight of the zoo. Unfortunately, I'm not that thrilled with a lot of the rest of the grounds. The African zone near the entrance has a lot of glitz and glamour, but the zipline, train, adventure course and everything else is all noise and little substance. I'm shocked to hear that there will soon be yak, reindeer and Bactrian camels in this area...what is that all about? An Asian-African hybrid? The polar bear complex is mainly all mock-rock and becoming more dated as the years go by, Great Apes and Primate Forest are both only okay but nothing special, and Tiger Terrace and Tembo Trail are incoherent messes. That sounds harsh, as the hippos and flamingos are splendid, but the elephant exhibit is way too small and the same could be said for a whole list of enclosures (tigers, snow leopards, grizzlies, rhinos) that are all mediocre. Someone once told me that Toledo does great stuff with small animals (fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds), but is a bust for large mammals and I would be inclined to agree with that statement. Toledo Zoo divides zoo nerds. I love the historic buildings and they are mainly terrific. However, there is a long list of poor exhibits for mammals scattered all around the zoo. The more zoos that I visit, the tinier those elephant, rhino, bear and big cat enclosures seem. Toledo is obviously one of the more popular zoos in America, for a long time now averaging at least a million annual visitors, but I'd probably rank it around #30 on my list of U.S. zoos in terms of overall quality.
Great that you got to visit Toledo! I love this zoo and despite its shortcomings I would consider it to be one of the best zoos in the US. ProMedica is without a doubt my favorite zoo exhibit complex of all time. You didn't miss much at Galapagos Gardens or Nature's Neighborhood, but the Pheasantry is probably the best of Toledo's completely outdoor exhibit complxes.
I appreciate the comments! @snowleopard In some ways, it sure did take longer than expected to finish this review. I do also hope to get a couple more reviews up by year’s end as well. According to an employee I chatted with, I was told the yak, camel, and reindeer were moving to Africa! for more space and have them all on display as opposed to rotating in Tembo Trail. It’s nice they’ll be getting additional space and opportunities, but I’d rather the main exhibit remained African animals to keep the theme. Funny enough, I had a similar thought when reading your 2018 review - small animals are more successfully represented in comparison to most larger creatures. It does seem like the Zoo is at least making the best of what it has, and does have plans to expand and improve on some of this though. @birdsandbats Good to know with the Pheasantry. Of the areas I did miss, the Pheasantry would’ve definitely been the one I’d pick to try and check out. What’s the species list for that area? I only recall kookaburra and kiwi off the top of my head. At least I managed to see the kiwi a few years prior in Columbus.
I feel like Toledo could start to do right by their larger animals as time moves on, certainly so with their elephant, tiger, grizzly bear, etc. habitats becoming more and more dated. I forget the name of the user who suggested this, but they brought up the idea that Toledo was considering a new entrance complex elsewhere on the "new" side, with the site of the old entrance/parking lot being used for a brand new elephant and rhino complex. I don't see how that would fan out due to a semi-shortage of African elephants in the country, unless zoos got serious about importing elephants from zoos in Europe or pulling another Eswatini rescue, as much as I would LOVE to see it happen. I've loathed Tembo Trail's increasingly incoherent theming, and if they could somehow maintain the Hippoquarium and expand the grizzly bear habitat, and incorporate the current hippo habitat into the current elephant habitat, we could finally see some form of the "Rivers" exhibit that was, for all intents and purposes, scrapped from the final plan. Maybe the tiger breeding complex would be nice to see, probably akin to Cleveland's Tiger Passage in terms of meshed-over habitats and the ever-popular overhead bridges. Either way, I think Toledo's future is bright, and if they employed the same level of creativity they did with the Museum of Science and the Aquarium, we can truly have something special.
Here's a species list for the Pheasantry from my visit in 2019. Many of these species are quite rare!: Scaly-sided Merganser Smew Mandarin Duck Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Elliot's Pheasant Cabot's Tragopan Red-billed Blue Magpie Berlioz's Silver Pheasant Australian Magpie Mikado Pheasant Crested Coua Reeve's Pheasant Laughing Kookaburra Himalayan Monal Swinhoe's Pheasant Crested Pigeon Victoria Crowned Pigeon North Island Brown Kiwi Blue-faced Honeyeater Blue-winged Kookaburra Tawny Frogmouth
I was the one who mentioned this! Now, although I haven't heard anything more about the whole " entrance being turned into an elephant and rhino " thing, I do have a theory ( not confirmed, but this does seem likely ) that Tembo Trail will get phased out eventually once or if the plans for the parking lot do end up happening thanks to the upcoming Grizzly Ridge. And also, to clear some things up? The Reindeer move around ALOT. And I do mean alot. They're in the Barnyard during the Lights Before Christmas event, and currently I think the reason why they're in Africa! alongside the Yaks is due to the fact that Grizzly Ridge is in the middle of construction, and due to how close some of the enclosures were to the area, they had to move them due to the construction. During my next meeting ( which is next month ) I'll see if I can ask any questions about what the plans are for the parking lot situation as well as anything else involving it. Hope this helps.
Out of curiosity, where do the hippos fit in this equation? In terms of if and when the elephants/rhinos (please be black rhinos) move over to the parking lot.
To be honest? I'm not entirely sure. But at my next meeting, I'll see what I can ask about the whole thing.
