Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Listen for a moment before you walk any further. Somewhere ahead, a peacock calls from the shade. Gravel crunches under strollers and sneakers. A child laughs at something you cannot see yet. The air smells of cut grass, warm earth, and, just faintly, the animal smells that tell you this is not an ordinary park. Welcome to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, set in the green countryside north of Ohio's capital.

First, a small surprise. Despite the name, the zoo is not actually inside the city of Columbus. It sits in Liberty Township, in Delaware County, close to the Scioto River and the wide waters of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir. That river setting matters. It gives the grounds rolling land, mature trees, and room to spread out. This is a place built for walking, so pace yourself. The paths loop through many regions, and the full circuit covers a lot of ground.

The zoo's story reaches back to the 1920s, when the Columbus area opened its first zoological gardens. For decades it was a modest regional zoo, the kind many American cities had. Families came on weekends. Schoolchildren came on field trips. Then, in the second half of the twentieth century, something changed — and much of that change came down to one man in a safari shirt.

His name was Jack Hanna. He became director in the late 1970s and quickly became one of the best-known zoo people in America. He brought animals onto national television, on late-night talk shows and morning programmes. Viewers saw a cheerful, slightly chaotic man holding a baby animal that rarely behaved. Those appearances made millions of people curious about this zoo in Ohio. Visitor numbers grew, and so did the ambition of the place.

Now for a story that most visitors walk past without knowing. In 1956, a baby gorilla was born here. Her name was Colo, and she was the first gorilla ever born in human care. At the time, nobody was sure such a birth was even possible. Colo grew up to become a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother. She lived for about sixty years, which made her one of the oldest gorillas on record. For many longtime local families, she was simply part of growing up.

Colo's legacy shaped the zoo's identity. The gorilla programme here became one of the most respected in North America. When you reach the great apes, take some time. Watch how the troop moves together. Notice how the older animals sit back and watch, while the younger ones chase and tumble. The zoo is also known for its bonobos, a close relative of the chimpanzee, and among the closest living relatives of humans. Their social lives are complex, and often surprisingly gentle.

The grounds are divided into regions, each built around a part of the world. In Heart of Africa, the land opens into a wide savanna. Giraffes lean over the rails at feeding time, their long dark tongues curling around leaves. Zebras and antelope graze together in the distance. On a hot summer day, the dry grass and open sky make it easy to forget you are in the American Midwest.

Walk on, and the mood shifts. Asia Quest brings shaded paths, bamboo, and the quiet patience of big cats. Australia and the Islands carries you to kangaroos, birds with bright plumage, and the slow drift of reef fish. Up in the north, Polar Frontier holds polar bears and brown bears. Here the colours turn cool — rock, water, pale stone. If the bears are swimming, stop at the underwater viewing windows. Seeing a polar bear push through the water at eye level is a moment people remember.

The word aquarium in the name is not decoration. In the Shores region, the light turns blue and the air feels damp and cool. Here you can meet the manatees, large grey animals that move through the water with slow, steady strokes. This part of the zoo has a real conservation role. It works with rescue partners to care for injured or orphaned manatees from Florida, and some of them later return to the wild. So the manatee in front of you may be a patient, not a permanent resident.

Here is a second detail many people miss. Near the entrance area stands a carousel with hand-carved wooden animals. It is an antique, dating from the early twentieth century, and it once turned in an amusement park in the Columbus area before the zoo gave it a new home. Look at the horses closely. You can see the carved manes, the painted bridles, the small signs of age and careful restoration. It is a piece of local history that still spins every day.

The zoo is also a full day out beyond the animals. Next door is Zoombezi Bay, a water park that fills with families through the summer. In winter, the zoo changes character again. The holiday lights season turns the paths into tunnels of colour, and the cold air carries the smell of hot chocolate. Coming back in a different season can feel like visiting a different place entirely.

As you walk, pay attention to the small things. Keepers often give talks near the animal habitats, and these are worth catching. They know each animal by name and by personality. Ask a question if you get the chance. You may learn which tiger prefers the morning sun, or which gorilla likes to watch the visitors as closely as they watch him.

So take a breath here, wherever you are standing. Listen again. The peacock may be calling. The water may be lapping against glass somewhere close by. Behind all of it is a long story — of a small city zoo, a famous gorilla named Colo, and a man who loved to share animals with the world. As you walk on, look up at the trees, down at the water, and into the eyes of whoever is looking back at you.