Tag: Cincinnati Zoo

Watch this surprisingly graceful ostrich twirl for the audience at Cincinnati Zoo

See it twirl!

Animals can be strange. Strange animal activities range from zoo animals escaping their enclosures to wild critters messing with trail cameras. Sometimes, you’ll even see stories about a moose or coyote chasing skiers. With all of these weird stories in the world, it can be hard for a cute critter to stand out. But one talented ostrich from Ohio’s Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens has beat the odds with an eye-catching dance.

Footage from earlier this month shows one of the zoo’s ostriches twirling around in its habitat and delighting onlookers. As the zoo said on February 10, this large flightless bird gracefully performed some spectacular spins, dancing “like no one’s watching.” Watch this talented ostrich for yourself in the video below.

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It took Joe Burrow 3 years, but he’s now more popular than Fiona the hippo in Cincinnati

Fiona is still great, but she can’t throw laser TDs.

In just three short years, Joe Burrow has morphed into one of the faces of the NFL. He took the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl 56 and followed it up with another dynamite season and Championship Sunday appearance.

Such an early-career rap sheet is apparently what Burrow needed to finally usurp a hippo in Cincinnati’s popularity.

According to a survey conducted by CityBeat, Burrow was voted the most popular Cincinnatian for the first time in 2023. The vote officially knocks off Fiona the hippo — a staple at the Cincinnati Zoo — from the popularity throne for the first time in half a decade.

Honestly, Burrow must be pretty great to beat this special lady:

It goes to show you that even when you’re a lovely, majestic animal, it can’t possibly rival a superstar quarterback in a football-starved city.

Watch: Zoo visitor dresses like penguin, makes new friend

A woman who dressed in tuxedo colors during a recent visit to the Cincinnati Zoo acquired a “new pal” at a penguin exhibit.

A woman who dressed in tuxedo colors during a recent visit to the Cincinnati Zoo acquired an adorable “new pal” at one of the penguin exhibits.

“New BFFs!” the zoo tweeted after viewing footage of Izzy Meltzer being followed closely by the waddling penguin as she paced back and forth along the glass divider.

In the footage, Meltzer laughs when it becomes clear that the penguin does not want to leave her side.

“I made a friend,” she says, adding, “I think it’s because I’m dressed like him,” referring to her black clothing, white vest and white shoes.

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After her visit Meltzer tweeted the video, stating, “This made my day! Could it be my penguin-like resemblance?”

Interestingly, not one of the other penguins expressed interest in Meltzer or this developing friendship.

–Image courtesy of Izzy Meltzer

Watch: Adorable baby rhino receives ‘love nudge’ from mom

The baby rhino at the Cincinnati Zoo is gaining notoriety on social media for his bold antics while interacting with his mom.

The newest baby rhino at the Cincinnati Zoo is gaining notoriety on social media for his bold antics while interacting with his mom.

The first video accompanying this post shows the spunky and sometimes clumsy rhino, Ajani Joe, playfully squaring off with momma.

“Oh my gosh, is somebody videotaping this?” an astonished guest remarks.

An apt video description reads, “Charismatic and brave Ajani Joe practices sparring with his mom, Seyia.”

The second video clip reveals perhaps a more touching and amusing scene in which momma rhino sneaks up behind Ajani Joe and gently pokes him in the rump with her horn, prompting laughter from guests.

“Ajani gets a little love nudge from mom,” the description reads.

Both clips were widely viewed and shared, and provide evidence that baby rhinos, despite their clunky appearance, are among the cutest critters on the planet.

Ajani Joe, a black rhinoceros, was named by the winner of a drawing, Martha Wolf, who told WLWT5 that her father’s name is Joe and that Ajani, of African origin, translates to “he who wins the struggle.”

–Image and videos courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden