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This is the greenest zoo in America, or at least that's what the Cincinnati Zoo wants you to believe. They don't just call themselves green, they've literally trademarked the title. But, what does a green zoo actually look like? Solar
Explore the Cincinnati Zoo, America's greenest zoo, showcasing sustainability through solar power, water recycling, and eco-friendly exhibits.
Key Takeaways
- Cincinnati Zoo leads in sustainability with extensive renewable energy use and water recycling.
- Sustainability is integrated into both animal care and visitor experiences, including dining.
- The zoo combines botanical garden elements with animal exhibits for a unique ecological approach.
- New exhibits prioritize naturalistic habitats and eco-friendly infrastructure.
- The zoo’s green initiatives serve as a benchmark for other zoological institutions.
What the video covers
- The Cincinnati Zoo claims the title of the greenest zoo in America, with trademarked sustainability efforts.
- Solar panels cover the parking lot and other areas, generating more renewable energy than the zoo consumes annually.
- The zoo is also an accredited botanical garden, featuring thousands of plant species integrated into animal habitats.
- Hydroponic lettuce is grown onsite to feed giraffes, reducing water use significantly.
- The lion and savanna exhibits incorporate natural landscaping and water features that support local wildlife.
- Base Camp Cafe is recognized as one of the greenest restaurants in America, using energy-efficient equipment and composting.
- Painted Dog Valley and hippo habitats utilize an underground rainwater retention and filtration system to recycle water.
- New exhibits like Bear Ridge, Sea Otter Coast, and Roo Valley replace older, less natural enclosures with eco-friendly designs.
- The zoo integrates sustainability into its attractions, making it a model for green zoos.
- Visitors can enjoy immersive, lush habitats while learning about environmental responsibility.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to the Greenest Zoo in America
- 01:15Solar Energy and Botanical Gardens
- 02:24Giraffe Ridge and Hydroponic Lettuce
- 03:29Lion Exhibit and Savanna Overview
- 04:48Base Camp Cafe: A Green Restaurant
- 05:44Painted Dog Habitat and Water Recycling
- 06:58Hippo Habitat and Sustainability Integration
- 08:18New Exhibits: Bear Ridge, Sea Otter Coast, and Roo Valley
- 09:40Jungle Trails and Lush Exhibits
- 11:01Elephant Trek and Solar Roof
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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panels covering an entire parking lot, restaurants built around sustainability, recycled rainwater used in animal habitats, and some of the lushest zoo exhibits I've ever seen. Today, we're finding out what makes this place so different, and whether it really
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deserves the title. The Cincinnati Zoo is located just a couple miles north of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, and welcomes nearly 2 million visitors every year. But, unlike most zoos, this one has built its entire identity around sustainability.
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And, as we pull into the parking lot, I think we're about to get our first clue.
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Yeah, that's a lot more solar panels than I was expecting. And, these aren't just for show. Along with several other solar installations across the zoo, they generate enough renewable electricity that the zoo now produces more renewable energy across
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its properties than it uses over the course of a year. And, somehow this is just the parking lot.
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Passing through the gates, something immediately stands out. And, while I did get a glimpse at a zoo map, teasing some of the world-class exhibits we'll be seeing later today, but here in the entry plaza, it's not about the animals.
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It's about the plants. Every path seemed to be lined with flowers, mature trees, and gardens in every direction. This feels just as much like a botanical garden as it does a zoo, and that's because it is. The Cincinnati Zoo is
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It's an accredited botanical garden, home to thousands of plant species from around the world. It's not just a few flowerbeds scattered around the entrance, either. Because, as we make our way through the zoo, you'll start to notice that nearly every exhibit is
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designed around the landscape, just as much as the animals themselves. So, with our first impressions already looking pretty promising, let's head to Africa.
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Almost immediately, we're welcomed by one of the zoo's signature sites, or should I say heights. This boardwalk overlooks the giraffe ridge, home to the zoo's herd of Masai giraffes.
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As you probably expect, if you're willing to spend a few extra dollars, you can actually feed them. But, unlike most zoos, where you're handed a handful of lettuce and sent on your way, Cincinnati grows their own hydroponic lettuce specifically for these
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encounters. Hydroponics grows plants using water instead of soil, allowing the zoo to produce fresh brows [music] while using significantly less water.
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It's a small detail, but one that's completely in line with everything we've seen so far. [music] And, honestly, it doesn't get much better than standing eye to eye with the tallest land animal on Earth.
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As we head down from giraffe ridge, [music] we come face to face with a couple more of Africa's most iconic inhabitants, including, of course, the lions.
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During my visit, they were right up near the glass. But, this overlook gives us a much wider view of the habitat, and just beyond them, the water from the lion exhibit flows into a large watering hole at the center of the savanna.
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This is easily one of the most beautiful views [music] in the entire zoo. The riverbank is densely planted with shrubbery, the water is filled with pelicans, and the pasture behind it has housed everything from hoof stock like wildebeest and gazelle to birds such as
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ostrich and vultures. [music] It's probably the first exhibit where I really started thinking, "Okay, this is what I pictured when I heard the greenest zoo in America." And after taking in the view for a while, I made an executive decision
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because the good old tummy was rumbling. Luckily, right around the corner is Base Camp Cafe. Now, I'll be honest, after walking around all morning in the middle of summer, I wasn't exactly looking for a salad. So, naturally, I ordered the
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greasiest pizza I could find, which may or may not have canceled out the entire point of eating at one of the greenest restaurants in America. Because, yes, apparently that's a thing. Base Camp Cafe was designed from the ground up
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with sustainability in mind. [music] From energy-efficient equipment and composting programs to locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, eventually earning recognition as one of the greenest restaurants in America. Not exactly something I expected to find in a zoo. And eating lunch while looking
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out over the savanna and possibly hearing a lion in the distance isn't a bad way to spend the morning, either.
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Belly full, let's keep going. Following the path past that beautiful savanna overlook, we eventually arrive at Painted Dog Valley.
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Now, most people usually think of painted dogs as these incredible runners. And many people don't know that they're actually great swimmers, too.
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But, sure enough, this exhibit features multiple large pools where they can splash around, cool off, and yes, occasionally decide to go for a swim.
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And while it's a fun behavior to watch, there's actually something even cooler happening beneath our feet. Hidden underneath the painted dog habitat is a massive underground retention system that captures rainwater, filters it, and recirculates it back through the
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exhibit's [music] streams and waterfalls. It's one of those sustainability features you'd never even know existed unless someone told you.
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And just next door is probably Cincinnati's biggest celebrity, Fiona. Along with Bibi, Tucker, and Fritz, the hippo habitat is almost always packed with visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the family that turned Cincinnati into the hippo capital of the internet.
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Now, I'll be honest, just by looking at it, this feels like a pretty standard American hippo exhibit, and it's probably worse than average. But just like the painted dogs, the water you're looking at isn't simply pumped in and
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forgotten. It's part of the exact same rainwater collection and filtration system, quietly recycling thousands of gallons behind the scenes, which [music] by this point I'm starting to realize is kind of Cincinnati's thing. The sustainability isn't usually the
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attraction, it's built into the [music] attraction. Then I spent some time wandering through the rest of the zoo [music] and passed through the world of birds, where we can catch a glimpse of one more sustainability project, where even the
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penguin habitat recycles filtered water behind the scenes. But after spending a few minutes walking around, it was time to check out something I was much more interested in, some of Cincinnati's newest exhibits.
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First up is 2025's Bear Ridge and Sea Otter Coast. Now, this wasn't always here. For years, this part of the zoo was home to a collection of aging concrete grottos that even at one point housed polar [music] bears. Today, it's
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been completely reimagined into a wooded hillside [music] featuring rescued American black bears, sea otters, and a landscape that feels far more natural than what stood here before. And while the young trees still have a little growing to do, and maybe they've been
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destroyed by the bears, it's already a massive improvement just because of the foliage and substrate alone. Following the trail downhill, we get multiple viewpoints into the bear habitat before arriving at the sea otters, whose exhibit makes clever use of the old
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polar bear space with both above and underwater viewing. The other recent addition to the zoo is Roo Valley. Now, technically, we're cheating a little here because it's back near the entrance, but who's going to know?
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Opened in 2020 as Cincinnati's first major exhibit in years, Roo Valley sits on the site of the former Wildlife Canyon, which actually used to house Sumatran rhinos. Nowadays, this space lets you walk straight through a mob of red [music] and gray kangaroos, which is
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pretty overdone in the zoo world, but the cool part here are the little details. Along the way, there's
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enjoy the scenery. It's not the biggest exhibit in the zoo, but it marked the beginning of a new era for Cincinnati's exhibit design. And it's a great example of something I've noticed throughout the day. Being green isn't always about
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building something completely new. Sometimes, it's about giving something old a second life. But if you thought these newer projects are immersive, trust me, we're saving the best for last.
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Next up and right across from the bears is Jungle Trails. And this is where Cincinnati really starts showing off.
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Almost immediately, the wide-open pathways disappear, replaced by dense bamboo, towering trees, and a trail that makes it feel like you've stepped into an actual rainforest. It's honestly hard to believe this entire forest [music] used to be a parking lot. After winding
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through the trail for a bit, we eventually arrive at my personal favorite exhibit in the entire zoo, Henry the Sumatran orangutan. His habitat is shared with gibbons, who you'll often hear long before you see them. And just when you think the
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outdoor exhibit couldn't get much better, the trail leads inside. Normally, indoor primate exhibits are pretty utilitarian. Concrete floors, climbing poles, you know the drill. But somehow, Cincinnati made this feel just as natural as the forest outside. The faux trees, the elevated viewing, even
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the lighting, all make it feel like you're standing high up in the rainforest canopy. And back outside, the trail continues deeper into the jungle before bringing us to another incredible ape habitat. And this one gives the orangutan habitat a run for its money.
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The outdoor exhibit is unbelievably lush, and just like Henry's, the indoor viewing area keeps the same natural feeling instead of just looking like a typical holding exhibit. It's one of those places where you almost forget you're looking through glass. And before
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leaving Jungle Trails, there's one last stop in the Africa building, definitely worth keeping an eye out for. In case these and this and all that theming weren't enough. I had the pleasure of getting an eye on the aye-aye, one of
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the strangest primates on the planet and one of those animals that visitors walk right past without realizing how rare they are. Needless to say, Jungle Trails absolutely lived up to the hype of being considered Cincinnati's best exhibit.
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Leaving Jungle Trails behind, we spend the rest of the afternoon exploring some of Cincinnati's other corners. We pass construction on the zoo's brand new Mexican wolf habitat, set to open later this year. So, hopefully it keeps the streak alive. Not every exhibit hit the
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same mark, though. Rhino Reserve, for example, was probably the one area where I expected to see a little more greenery. Thankfully, it doesn't take long before we're back to what Cincinnati does best. Manatee Springs [music] is one of only a handful of places
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outside Florida where you can see these gentle giants. Inside another lush greenhouse packed with crocodilians, fish, [music] turtles, and tropical plants. But, before we make our way to the zoo's biggest new attraction, there was one more tiny stop I couldn't skip,
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the world of the insect. Now, I know what you're thinking. You came all the way to Cincinnati to look at bugs? Yeah, I did. And honestly, I think this might be the best insect house I've ever visited. Instead of just lining up
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terrariums in a dark hallway, almost every exhibit teaches you something new. Leafcutter ants marching across the ceiling, insects that can walk on water, species from around the world that aren't always even insects, it's surprisingly easy to spend way longer in
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here than you planned. [music] And just outside sits one final reminder of why places like this matter, the passenger pigeon memorial, a species that once numbered in the billions.
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[music] It's a sobering way to end this part of the day, and it's honestly a pretty fitting reminder of why zoos continue investing so heavily in conservation.
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And now, it's finally time for the exhibit I've been looking forward to all day. But first, I made a quick stop at Mai's Market to try one of Cincinnati's most famous foods, Skyline Chili. And I'm going to be honest, whatever came
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out of me afterwards definitely wasn't green. Maybe it was the mountain of cheese, but either way, I don't think it's for me.
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With that unfortunate experience behind us, we finally head beneath this massive archway and into Elephant Trek. Opened in 2024, this $5 million project transformed another one of Cincinnati's former parking lots into one of the largest elephant complexes in America.
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Right away, the trail gives us a small teaser of what's ahead. We can just make out the elephants in the distance, but we're saving the main habitat for the very end. Instead, a side path leads us into the Asian Waterfall Garden. And
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honestly, this might be one of the most peaceful spots in the entire [music] zoo.
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Between the flowing water, dense landscaping, and quiet seating areas, [music] it almost feels like you've stepped away from the crowds altogether. Eventually, we loop back toward the main trail, where Elephant Trek really begins to open up. Along the way are interactive
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exhibits showing how people live alongside wild elephants. The first animals we meet are the siamangs, whose habitat stretches overhead with climbing structures and aerial pathways. Just beyond them are the white rhinoceros hornbills, followed by one of my favorite surprises in the entire
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exhibit. Normally, here you'd find a family of Asian small-clawed otters, but I was more excited to get up close to the babirusa, a rare swine from Southeast Asia. Nearby, we also get our first proper look into the elephant
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trek's secondary elephant habitat. Even this smaller yard is more than twice the size of the largest habitat [music] from Cincinnati's former elephant exhibit.
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From there, we double back one last time as the sun begins to set, making our way toward the elephant care center. Inside is a massive indoor facility with heated sand floors, pools, and one of the largest public viewing areas I've ever
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seen for elephants indoors. And fittingly for the greenest zoo in America, even the entire roof is covered with solar panels.
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But just outside, we finally reach the main event, the main elephant habitat. Nearly 93,000 square feet of varied terrain, living trees, waterfalls, streams, and of course this massive pool, all connecting to make over 3 acres of outdoor habitats. It's honestly
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hard to believe this entire landscape was a parking lot just a few years ago.
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And hidden beneath roughly 27 million pounds of sand [music] is one final sustainability feature we know and love, a system capable of collecting up to 1 million gallons of rainwater [music] which is filtered and reused throughout the exhibit for irrigation, streams,
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[music] waterfalls, and even the main pool. And honestly, I can't think of a more fitting finale for the greenest zoo in America.
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So, did Cincinnati earn its title as the greenest zoo in America? Well, here's what I'll say. Honestly, I don't know who does it quite like them. When I picture the greenest zoo in America, I imagined a few solar panels, maybe a
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couple recycling bins, and call it a day. Instead, I found a zoo where sustainability is woven into almost everything they do. To me, being green isn't the reason you should visit the zoo. It's another part of what a modern
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zoo should be, right alongside conservation, education, and creating experiences that help people connect with wildlife. If zoos want us to care about the natural world, then they should live out that mission themselves.
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[music] And after spending the day here, I think Cincinnati does exactly that. But, what do you think? Does Cincinnati deserve to call itself the greenest zoo in America? Let me know down below. And as always, thank you for watching. I
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hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time on The Virtual Zoo.
Topics:Cincinnati Zoogreenest zoosustainabilitysolar panelswater recyclingbotanical gardeneco-friendly zoorenewable energyanimal habitatsgreen restaurant
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