The entrance to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Credit: Andrew Horne | Lantern Reporter
Land and sea animals are not the only creatures that can be found at the Columbus Zoo on a Saturday afternoon.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was voted best place to spend a Saturday this year by Lantern readers. With more than 10,000 animals and hundreds of species to visit, guests can enjoy their weekend by participating in activities and events at the zoo ranging from exercising to bathing elephants, Tom Stalf, president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, said.
“You’ll have an opportunity to hear from a keeper, or you’ll see a program where there are animals that are right there with you and the trainers,” Stalf said. “There are so many behind-the-scenes experiences — if you want to give an elephant a bath or go in and meet our sea lions or go in with our red pandas.”
Stalf said an important component of a guest’s experience at the zoo is walking the more than four-mile-long pathways.
“No matter what the weather is like, there’s always activities,” Stalf said.
The zoo is also partnering with local fitness instructors for the “Workouts for Wildlife” series, a yoga-style workout that allows guests to meet with animals afterwards, Jeff Glorioso, experiential marketing director at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, said.
The next workout sessions will take place with penguins April 10 and sloths April 11, according to the website.
There is an additional registration fee for the event, with all of the proceeds going toward the zoo’s conservation efforts, Glorioso said.
Adventure Cove is a recent addition to the zoo, Stalf said. It features exhibits with sea lions and seals, a walk through an underwater tunnel in the sea lion and seal pools, an area for guests to feed stingrays in Stingray Bay and interactive exhibits that honor the legacy of Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the zoo.
“There are three different pools with an underground tube that you can walk through and see 360 degrees around to watch the animals swim right under you,” Stalf said.
The zoo is actively working to ensure that guests, employees and animals remain safe from COVID-19 during events, all of which can be found on the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium events calendar. Glorioso said guests must select a time slot when registering for tickets to maintain social distancing at the zoo.
“We’re working with the Delaware Health District in making sure that we’re doing everything we can,” Glorioso said. “We still want to give folks that outlet to come out to the zoo, see what we have to create new experiences for themselves.”
Stalf said he has one last piece of advice for Ohio State students looking to stick it to “that team up north” — avoid the wolverine exhibit.
“Just walk right past the wolverine exhibit,” Stalf said. “As you’re seeing the mountain lions, right behind you would be the wolverines — I wouldn’t even turn around — I would just keep going into the aviary and then see our bald eagles.”
