Located in White River State Park along the scenic riverbanks, the Indianapolis Zoo offers 64 acres of both indoor and outdoor animal attractions as well as three additional acres of outdoor gardens. Open year round with hours that vary by season, guests can explore more than 1,200 animals of approximately 230 species as well as 47,000 plants specimens.
The Penny & Jock Fortune International Chimpanzee Complex (opening Memorial Day weekend, 2024) will allow guests to engage with up to 30 resident chimps as they live their natural lives gathering in small groups, using tools, and playing. The elevated Chimpanzee Trail gives visitors a one-of-a-kind viewing opportunity.
The award-winning Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center is not only home to a large group of orangutans, but also a hub for research on the cognitive abilities of apes. See them up close on the ground level of the exhibit or watch them swing high above you.
Explore the Plains area to see natives of African savannahs like elephants, lions, cheetah, gazelle, zebras, baboons, rhinos, giraffes, warthogs, and more.
Visit the Deserts biome to meet the animals that thrive in the hot, dry environment: lizards, boas, toads, gila monsters, iguanas, and meerkats.
The Forests biome is home to brown bears, tigers, crocs, eagles, kangaroos, cockatoos, red pandas, and white-handed gibbons.
Extreme Snakes, showcases more than 20 species from around the world, including some of the largest and most dangerous. Brave guests can then get as close as they dare to an animal widely regarded as one of the deadliest snakes on the planet. Native to Africa, the black mamba has earned its infamous reputation by combining a strong bite and deadly venom with bursts of speed that outmatch an average human. Their striking name comes from the inky black color inside their mouths, not the dull, brownish-gray color of their bodies. The vibrant eastern green mamba is also highly venomous.
With one of the largest flocks of macaws in North America, Zoo guests can watch as they soar overhead in the summertime. Opportunities await to get up close with long-tailed macaques, orangutans, tigers, walrus, dolphins and so many other iconic species.
Come closer. Feel the ground shake with each gentle footstep. Look into those soulful eyes. And sense a powerful connection that you’ll never forget. “Tembo” means “elephant” in the Swahili language, and Tembo Camp means you have an opportunity to meet our herd up close. The stunning space offers our elephants more room to roam, as well as providing guests with a firsthand look at how we care for our herd. You might even be lucky enough to get to touch one of these amazing animals!
Don't miss the amazing Oceans biome for a multi-sensory trip to meet penguins, sea lions, walrus, long-tailed macaques, rays, eels, seals, coral, fish of many kinds, and even touch sharks. Be sure to catch a presentation at the Dolphin Pavilion to see them in the underwater viewing dome and learn more about these amazing and intelligent creatures.
Enhance your visit with animal feed and touch experiences, or a ride on the carousel, Kombo Family Coaster, Skyline gondola, and White River Junction Train.
Experience the beauty of nature at White River Gardens. You'll forget you're in the city when you experience the total immersion of stepping inside this 5,000-sq.-ft. tropical oasis of the Hilbert Conservatory and explore the DeHaan Tiergarten with its gardening ideas and inspirational designs.
Guests have fresh and healthy food options available all year long at the centrally located Café on the Commons as well as other eateries open seasonally.
Special experiences including the Dolphin In-Water Adventure and Animal Art Adventures invite visitors behind the scenes to learn more about incredible animals while also helping to advance the Zoo’s animal conservation mission.-
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