Cincinnati Zoo

Zola, Lulu and Kiara are still spending most of the time behind the scenes with their care team, but the trio is starting to explore their outdoor habitats and the large running yard! There’s no set schedule yet for when the public can see them. They will continue to grow, train and become ambassadors and will one day be a part of the running program where they will reach speeds of up to 70mph! Seeing a cheetah run full speed is something you’ll never forget, and we hope inspires people to want to help save the cheetah. Just like we hope sharing their stories of growing up at the zoo will! #cincinnatizoo #conservation #zookeeeper #cheetah #cat #babyanimal

Behind the scenes centipede enrichment for the cheetah cubs! It’s cold in Cincinnati this week so the cubs are exploring more behind the scenes areas with their care team! Here they visited the kitchen where the Cat Ambassador Team prepares diets for the animals they care for! The cubs are doing well and are becoming amazing little ambassadors for their endangered species. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Angel Fund has been conserving the world’s fastest animal for decades. #cincinnatizoo #zookeeper #animals #cuteanimals #babyanimal #cheetah #catsoftiktok

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! 🥳

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

Fiona the hippo picks the Eagles to win #SBLIX! The last time she picked the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, they won! @philadelphiaeagles @chiefs @nglwithkylie @newheightshow @nfl #SBLIX #football #eagles #bengals #whodey #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #hippo #cuteanimals #teamfiona

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

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

The sleepiest baby cheetah! It’s exhausting being this adorable. Cheetahs spend most of their time sleeping and they are minimally active during the hottest portions of the day. #cincinnatizoo #animals #cuteanimals #cheetah #cat

Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat. Keepers Andie and Jawnie show us what a day in the life of a cheetah cub zoo keeper looks like! #cheetah #cincinnatizoo #cuteanimals #cat #zookeeper #dayinmylife #dayinthelife

Cheetah cub pile! Zola, Kiara & Lulu are growing up to be amazing ambassadors for their species where one day they will run top speeds of up to 70mph! Seeing a cheetah run full speed is something you’ll never forget, and we hope inspires people to want to help save the cheetah. Just like we hope sharing their stories of growing up at the zoo will as well! #cincinnatizoo #zookeeper #animals #cuteanimals #babyanimal #conservation #cheetah #cat #caturday

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

The third sister to Zola and Lulu will be staying here at the Cincinnati Zoo. Her name is Kiara which means “princess” in Swahili. She is perhaps the most bold of the three, and is picking up her training very quickly. She will continue to grow, train and become an ambassador with her sisters here and will one day be a part of the running program where she will reach speeds of up to 70mph! Seeing a cheetah run full speed is something you’ll never forget, and we hope inspires people to want to help save the cheetah. Just like we hope sharing their stories of growing up at the zoo will as well! #cheetah #zookeeper #cincinnatizoo #animals #cuteanimals #babyanimal #cat #catsofinstagram

Waffles & Nolia, 2 rescued manatees cared for at the Cincinnati Zoo, returned to their native Florida waters after receiving care at the Cincinnati Zoo 🫶 #manatee #cincinnatizoo #conservation #zookeeepr @ZooTampa @SeaWorld Orlando

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

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

Fiona, the confident little hippo! Fiona is 8 years old and weighs a healthy 2,500 pounds. She loves eating everything, but lettuce and melons remain her favorite! #fiona #teamfiona #hippo #cincinnatizoo

Sound on! Elephants SheRa & Anak working up the courage to check out their Valentine's Day enrichment! The Zoo's Enrichment volunteers create safe items which will stimulate animals' natural behaviors through sight, sound, scent, texture, and more. #elephant #ValentinesDay #funnyanimals

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