Cincinnati Zoo

Rico celebrated his 9th birthday (and National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day) with a special cake made of produce, peanut butter and popcorn! Happy Birthday, Rico! 🥳

Happy 9th Birthday Rico!! 🥳 Spending most of its time in the canopy, the Brazilian porcupine is an expert climber. Large curved claws, bare soles and a prehensile tail help the large rodent grip branches as it moves through the trees. The muscular tail is nearly as long as the body and essentially acts as a fifth limb. #rico #cincinnatizoo #animals #zookeeper #cuteanimals #asmr #fyp

Giraffe feedings start today! Don’t miss out on this wild experience! 🦒 🥬 The giraffe enjoy fresh produce grown on-site with hydroponic growing systems! #animals #giraffe #asmr

We're not the only species who plays airplane! Bonobo mom Gilda plays with her seven month old daughter Daisy and gives her a sweet hug at the end! Bonobos are one of the few matriarchal animal societies in the world and the only matriarchal great ape species. #conservation #bonobos #babyanimals #animals #cincinnatizoo

The final phase of Elephant Trek opens Monday, April 14! Guests will finally be able to see Asian small–clawed otters Munti & Flounder, Siamang gibbons Sebastian & Berbak, rhinoceros hornbills Blake & Remi, and some incredible landscaping. Each animal brings loads of personality! A variety of interactive elements in the new area have been incorporated to educate visitors about the animals they are seeing, elephant conservation, and the important of human-wildlife coexistence. #cincinnatizoo #animals #zookeeper #cuteanimals #conservation

Hoof Care for Our Tall Friends! DYK: giraffes need regular pedicures too? At the Cincinnati Zoo, our animal care team ensures that our giraffes hooves stay in top shape, keeping them comfortable and healthy. Watch as keepers Teresa and Melina work with Tessa! With special training, patience, and positive reinforcement, these gentle giants voluntarily participate in their hoof trims—no stress involved! The team works with the Zoo Hoofstock Trim Program to stay up on best practices and, on a recent visit, the hoofstock pros noted that the giraffe, okapi, and goats feet looked beautiful and we were doing a great job maintaining their hooves. The Cincinnati Zoo supports wild Maasai giraffe conservation by offering "behind the scenes" tours with proceeds going to the Wild Nature Institute. Visit cincinnatizoo.org to schedule a tour. #giraffe #cincinnatizoo #animals #zookeeper

It's Zoo Babies month at the Cincinnati Zoo! Meet Daisy: the 7 month old bonobo! Bonobos, once called pygmy chimps, are the smallest of the great ape species. They share 98.7% of our DNA. Unlike gorillas or chimpanzees, bonobos are a matriarchal society. They are female lead, and female bonds take priority over male bonds. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is proud to support Lola Ya Bonobo, the world's only bonobo sanctuary, in their efforts to rehabilitate orphaned bonobos, and reintroduce them into protected areas in the wild. Lola Ya Bonobo also helps communities coexist with bonobos by building a better future through conservation and sustainable livelihoods, rather than over hunting. #babyanimals #baby #animals #cincinnatizoo #bonobo

Happy National Siblings Day to cheetah cubs Kiara, Zola & Lulu! #Siblings #sisters #cats #cheetah #cincinnatizoo #babyanimals

Happy National Napping Day! Juno is always ready to go back to bed! 💤 🦥 #sloth #cincinnatizoo #animals #nationalnappingday #naptime

Snack time with sweet Rico! The Brazilian porcupine is an expert climber. Large curved claws, bare soles and a prehensile tail help the large rodent grip branches as it moves through the trees. The muscular tail is nearly as long as the body and essentially acts as a fifth limb. #animals

Happy first birthday, Kal! Kalahari, also known as Kal, the bat-eared fox kit is growing quickly and eager to step into his role as an ambassador animal at the Cincinnati Zoo! He is a very smart fox and picking up on his training very quickly. Bat-eared foxes have giant ears and exceptional hearing that helps them locate insects to eat. They also have more teeth than most mammals, making it easier to consume live prey. Adult bat-eared foxes measure between 18 to 26 inches and weigh 7 to 12 pounds. Native to eastern and southern Africa, bat-eared foxes thrive in open grasslands. Although not endangered, they face challenges due to fur hunting and perceived threats to livestock. Look for him later this summer in the Cheetah Encounter! #fox #cincinnatizoo #animals

Daisy the baby bonobo resists nap time on #NationalNappingDay! 🥹 💤 🥰 #babyanimals #cincinnatizoo

Today the cheetah cubs explored the outdoor habitat for the first time! (This is the cheetah habitat by Base Camp Cafe.) Zola, Lulu & Kiara are getting used to this space and are not on a set schedule quite yet. We’re so proud of these brave girls! Since they are babies - almost 5 months old! - and still learning, they need adult supervision whenever they are in these larger spaces! Keepers were close by in the habitat in case the cubs needed anything! #cheetah #cats #babyanimals

Tucker, Fiona, Fritz and Bibi enjoy a snack! DYK: Fifty percent of all proceeds from the hippo behind-the-scenes tours go to conservation projects selected by the hippo conservation team. The funds that we’ve raised are used to make a tangible difference for hippos in Uganda. Our bloat even funded a boat for rangers protecting hippos in the wild! #conservation #cincinnatizoo #animals #hippos

Baby bonobo Daisy! 😍 Bonobos live in a matriarchal society, where females lead the group and keep the peace! 💪💕 Unlike their chimp cousins, bonobos rely on cooperation and social bonding rather than aggression. #bonobos #cincinnatizoo #animals #babyanimals

Fiona appreciation post 👑 Fiona has raised awareness and interest in hippos. She’s an ambassador for her species! Interest in the Nile hippo and protecting its habitat in Africa benefits all species, many critically endangered, that share their ecosystem. #cincinnatizoo #animals #zookeeper #hippo #cuteanimals

Bruno comes over for a snack! As one of the longest-lived animals, a Galápagos tortoise can lives 150 years or more! See tortoises Mishell, Husker, and Bruno all summer long! #tortoise #animals #cincinnatizoo #zookeeper

Nap time with Kiara the cheetah cub! These cubs are now 6 months old! See Kiara and sisters Lulu & Zola during Zoo Babies! 😻😻😻

Happy Wolrd Rat Day, Pixy!!! Her favorite thing to do is swing in her bucket! DYK: Rats actually can “laugh” when tickled, the sound is just too high pitched for humans to hear. Also, a group of rats are called a “mischief”! #cincinnatizoo #rats #animals #cuteanimals