Africa

You are now entering the Zoo’s Africa! exhibit. This area not only houses animals but also a few rides, including the train and carousel. To the left, you may hear the whistle of the Safari train as it pulls out of the station. On the right, you’ll hear the carousel filled with different African animals to ride. Just past the train, the Zoo’s zip line and adventure course rises above the Savanna.

As you move past the adventure course and approach the viewing area, you’ll be transported to the vast landscapes of the African Savanna. The Zoo’s large open-space exhibit features multiple species of animals cohabitating together. The goal is to provide a home that mirrors their natural habitat. This habitat features tall grasses, scattered trees for shade and food, and a watering hole. Animals you may encounter here include giraffes, zebras, ostriches, nyala and Watusi cattle.

Take a look at the tallest land animals on Earth—the giraffes. They can reach 14 to 19 feet tall, about the height of a two-story house. Males are usually taller than females. Their long necks allow them to reach branches that other animals can’t. In the wild, giraffes feed on acacia leaves, which are green with a feathery texture and a sweet fragrance. At the Zoo, they eat leafy greens and hay.

At the giraffe feeding deck, guests can purchase lettuce to feed the giraffes up close. They use their slimy, purplish tongues to take the food right out of your hand. Their tongue’s dark color helps protect it from sunburn.

There are two kinds of giraffe in this exhibit: Reticulated and Masai. Reticulated giraffes have larger, square-like brown patches on a white background, which helps them camouflage in dense, dry vegetation. Masai giraffes are the tallest subspecies, with darker, jagged leaf-shaped patterns.

On rainy or chilly days, giraffes may be inside their viewing stalls to the right of the feeding deck. Through the large windows, you may see them eating hay from high containers or working treats like carrots and lettuce out of puzzle feeders. Rubber mats keep them comfortable indoors, and the windows allow you to stand face-to-face with them.

Also roaming the savanna are the impressive Watusi cattle, known for their enormous horns that can stretch up to 8 feet wide—the length of a surfboard. These horns act as natural radiators, circulating blood to release heat and keep them cool. Covered in brown and white fur, they are often called the “cattle of kings” and are an important symbol in African culture. You may hear them mooing in the mornings as they wait to be let out into the exhibit.

Nearby, you’ll see zebras grazing. Their black-and-white stripes are unique to each individual, much like fingerprints. These stripes also act as protection. When zebras group together, their patterns blur, confusing predators like lions and leopards. The Zoo is home to plains zebras, the most common and widespread species.

Moving across the habitat, you may notice the nyala, a species of antelope from Southeastern Africa. Males and females look very different. Males stand about three and a half feet tall, with spiral horns and a shaggy grayish-brown coat. Females are smaller, reddish brown and hornless, with vertical white stripes along their sides. Nyala are often shy in the wild, but at the Zoo they can usually be seen grazing together.

The ostrich, the largest living bird, also calls this savanna home. They can reach up to 9 feet tall, about the height of a basketball hoop. Too large to fly, ostriches instead use their powerful legs to run at speeds over 40 miles per hour.

Males have striking black feathers with white wings and tails, while females are mostly brown. Ostriches also lay the largest eggs of any bird, each equivalent to about 24 chicken eggs. The Toledo Zoo has successfully hatched ostrich chicks that now live in other zoos, helping to grow the population.

We hope your tour of the Africa! exhibit gave you a deeper appreciation of these magnificent animals and the incredible continent they represent. Enjoy the rest of your adventure at the Toledo Zoo.