See the Animals at the Toledo Zoo

In or around the Toledo, Ohio area and looking for something to do? Check out the Toledo Zoo. The Toledo Zoo is located in Toledo, OH and is easily accessible from anywhere in northwest Ohio, southern Michigan, and northwest Indiana.

The Toledo Zoo started over 100 years ago with a donation of a single woodchuck to the city of Toledo Parks Board. The parks board went on to create one of the finer zoo's in the United States. The Toledo Zoo now boasts an average of over 875,000 visitors a year and has had several years of more than 1 million visitors.

The Toledo Zoo contains a wide variety of exhibits and thousands of animals for you to see. Some of the exhibits include: Afrika, the Aviary, Hippoquarium, Artic Encounter, and Frog Town.

The Africa! Exhibit opened in 2004 at the Toledo Zoo and according to their website was "The most ambitious project in Toledo Zoo history" (www.toledozoo.org/extras/ext_africa2004.html). It spans across 12 acres of the zoo and includes: giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impala, ostrichs, and more. A nice feature of this exhibit is a dining and observation deck that overlooks the exhibit. For those that prefer it, there is also the regular viewing areas that most people expect.

In 1999, the Toledo Zoo's Aviary received the Exhibit Award for Excellence from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This exhibit includes three walk thru habitats and a wide variety of birds from around the world. The Toledo Zoo's Aviary has also had several recent successes breeding some of the species of birds.

In the African Savannah area of the zoo is the Hippoquarium. The Hippoquarium is a 360,000 gallon pool designed with crystal clear water and houses the zoo's Nile hippos. With the clarity of the water, visitors get a close look at the hippos as they go about there day. In 1987, a live birth of a hippo was captured on film. This is a must see exhibit for everyone.

The Artic Encounter exhibit features yet another underwater view of the Toledo Zoo's animals. These underwater views give visitors a unique look at the animals and how they behave in the water. No more seeing them on top of the water and then wondering what they are doing below. The Artic Encounter consists of Polar Bears, gray seals, and harbor seals. The exhibit also contains interactive activities for the kids in your group.

Frog Town, USA is an exhibit featuring the many species of amphibians that are local to northwest Ohio. Many of these species lived in and around the swamps that were once in and around Toledo. Today, many of these habitats have been destroyed and can only be seen in Frog Town, USA. The exhibit consists of a couple different settings, including a nocturnal area that highlights the 'nightlife' amphibians.

If your in or around the Toledo, OH area, you must make time to visit the zoo. It's an inexpensive outing for the whole family. The zoo is open year round, except for a couple of holidays. For more information, visit the Toledo Zoo's webpage at www.toledozoo.org.