Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo is renowned for its pioneering research on elephant reproduction. The very first African elephants to have been conceived and born through artificial insemination were born here! One of the zoo’s elephants, Kubwa, was the first African elephant to give birth to one of these miracle babies in 2000. Kubwa can be seen in the Plain Exhibit, along with the rest of her elephant herd. 

The exhibit is structured as a large savannah with trees and tall grasses surrounding it. It’ll make you feel like you’re on a safari in Africa! In addition to the elephants, you can also spot other African animals like cheetahs and giraffes. And during the summer, you can visit the Wild Encounter Station at the exhibit’s entrance. Here you can meet some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors like hedgehogs, turtles, parrots, and snakes.

Best times to visit the Indianapolis Zoo: 

The ideal time to visit the Indianapolis Zoo is in the spring when the temperatures and weather are moderate. During the warmer summer months, animals are more active in the mornings when it’s cooler. 
If it’s raining, you may not be able to see many of the outdoor exhibits. However, there are still plenty of indoor exhibits to enjoy, like the zoo’s daily dolphin presentations, the Deserts Exhibit, and the Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center.
Warm-weather animals may not be available during the winter. However, you can still see many other animals that love the cold weather. Winter is often the best time to see animals like Amur tigers, Arctic foxes, California sea lions, and Alaska brown bears.