Zoo Review Updates, 2023

Here's just some of the zoo and aquarium updates from 2023, though I'm sure I've missed many!

Audubon Aquarium (having dropped "of the Americas" from its name) has reopened after a period of renovation, with the Insectarium now part of its facility.  A sloth habitat has also been added.

Beardsley Zoo opened its new habitat for Andean bears.  Amur tigers are the next species slated to get a new, expanded habitat. 

Brookfield Zoo is working on construction on a massive new refresh of its iconic Tropic World.  The expanded project will feature outdoor habitats for its gorillas and orangutans, currently only visible indoors.  Small projects in progress are habitats for native birds and turtles.  A further detailed masterplan is expected in the new year.  The Zoo's bottlenose dolphins went on sojourn to another zoo while their habitat at Brookfield is getting spruced up.

Construction continues at Cincinnati Zoo on its new habitat for Asian elephants.  The zoo's herd is already expanding with the importation of two new females from Europe.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo completed Bear Hallow, home to sloth bears and Andean bears.  The zoo has announced many upcoming projects, the most ambitious being a renovation of its iconic Rainforest.  The gorillas will be moved down from the PCA building to the expanded complex, while the orangutans will soon have an outdoor exhibit in addition to the indoor.

Continuing through Ohio, Columbus Zoo has broken ground on its refresh of the North American area.  While some species - notably bison - will be absent from the zoo now, the result will be larger habitats for other species.  The first phase will include improved homes for wolves, eagles, black bears, otters, swans, and the zoo's impressive North American songbird aviary.

Denver Zoo opened a new American flamingo exhibit, and is currently working on an Australian exhibit.

Kansas City Zoo is now Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium, having opened the Sobela Aquarium.  Sea otters, sharks, octopus, and a sea turtle help round out the impressive new complex, which only adds to the rapidly growing facility.

Milwaukee County Zoo, having had exhibit refreshes/expansions for African elephants and hippos, is moving on to their next large mammal by working on an improved home for black rhinos.

Nashville Zoo opened a new habitat for Komodo dragons, the largest such exhibit in the country.  During the colder months, the outdoor portion of the exhibit will house red-crowned cranes.

North Carolina Zoo continues to plug away at building its Asian area.

Since my visit earlier this year, Oklahoma City Zoo has opened Expedition Africa, an enormous complex featuring animals large and small, from giraffes and zebras to fish and amphibians.  The next project in progress is the refurbishment of the old aquarium building into new habitats for African penguins and California sea lions.

Philadelphia Insectarium is permanently closed.

Phoenix Zoo opened Predator Passage, providing new habitats for lions, spotted hyenas, meerkats, red river hog, and Ruppell's griffon vultures.

Potawatomi Zoo has converted its former chimpanzee exhibit into a new habitat for lions.  The former lion exhibit is temporarily housing an Andean bear while construction continues on a brand new habitat for that species, to be built alongside a new café.  

Shedd Aquarium has unveiled a new masterplan.  As a first step, the iconic Caribbean Reef in the central rotunda of the building has been closed to make way for new exhibits.

Smithsonian National Zoo (finally!) opened its new Bird House.  Experience Migration features three walk-through aviaries - one highlighting the shorebirds of Delaware Bay, one the waterfowl of the prairie potholes, and one the passerines of a tropical sustainable coffee farm.  Outside exhibits continue to feature the big birds that previously called the complex home, including cassowary, whooping crane, and American flamingo.  The large outdoor walk-through flight cage is still closed.

Toledo Zoo opened Kodiak Ridge, a new home for brown bears.

Topeka Zoo completed its new giraffe habitat.

Tulsa Zoo continues work on its new Asian elephant habitat, with new habitats for African wildlife (lions, gorillas, pygmy hippos) scheduled as next steps.

Zoo Tampa announced an exciting new masterplan that will bring lions and gorillas to the zoo, in addition to an entire South American region... and possibly sea lions.