Columbus Zoo

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is home to more than 7,000 animals and 800 different species! The zoo also donates money to conservation programs both within the zoo and all over the world. One of these programs is the International Elephant Foundation, which works to save and protect both Asian and African elephants around the world. 

At the zoo’s Asia Quest, you can find animals like sloth bears, markhors, Indian rhinoceroses, red pandas, Pallas’s cats, Amur tigers, and Indian elephants — a subspecies of Asian elephants. 

Although Asian elephants are typically a smaller species, one of the zoo’s male elephants — a bull named Hank — is over 9 feet tall and weighs an impressive 15,600 pounds! The zoo’s other male elephant, Frankie, was born in 2021 and as of February 2023, weighed over 1,740 pounds. The two bulls live in a herd with several other female elephants, including Frankie’s mother and the herd’s matriarch Phoebe.

Best times to visit the Columbus Zoo: 

Winter is an ideal time to visit the Columbus Zoo. It’s the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with animals that love cooler weather. You can also visit a variety of indoor habitats to escape the chill. The worst cold occurs during January and February, but Columbus doesn’t get a lot of snow.
Another great option is to visit the zoo on a weekday while school is in session. In the spring and fall, the weather is nice and you can avoid large summer crowds.
Summers have warmer weather and there is less chance of rain. It can be rather humid, but it typically doesn’t get super hot. The hottest part of the summer is for two to three weeks in July or August, with temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.