The Heart of Africa fully opens for the season in early May, but as the weather warms, you'll more and more animals (even before May)! Spanning 43 acres, Heart of Africa is the Zoo’s largest region to date, and there’s a lot of ground to cover!
Follow along as we highlight opportunities for discovery for every guest visiting the Zoo. Your Heart of Africa adventure awaits!
Grazing zebras, graceful giraffes, and majestic kudus...you can find them all in one awe-inspiring area of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Meet the Team
Animal wellbeing is a year-round priority and responsibility, and the day kicks off at 6 a.m. for our devoted Heart of Africa team. This small yet mighty team will decide which animals will be on the savanna, in the feeding yard, and inside for training and enrichment, all while making sure time outdoors is enjoyed as much as possible. It’s a huge undertaking that calls for efficiency, communication, and teamwork.
Get Your Grub On!
Big appetites await, and the team makes their rounds to provide breakfast for each animal in our care.
- Grain is offered to the giraffes and zebras near the barns.
- Food is prepared for the Dama Gazelles, Thomson’s Gazelles, and Wildebeests.
- Saddle-billed storks are offered their morning meal.
- The savanna is stocked with food, hay, and browse for the day.
- Animals sleeping in the savanna head towards the barns for breakfast.
- Grain and chopped greens are offered in the early AM to the Crowned Cranes, including Odot. Birds eat when the sun comes up, so they’re often near the top the list at breakfast time!
- Damas and Thomson’s Gazelles run inside for their breakfast, prepared by keepers earlier in the morning
- Wildebeests listen for the sound a tambourine to know their meal is ready!
- While the animals choose to come inside for breakfast at their own pace, they’re never left on the savanna by themselves. This could potentially create a risky situation…if they’re nervous or scared alone, injury could occur. So, no one is left behind. Safety first!
Plan YOUR lunch at Heart of Africa!
Great meals await you, too, at Mapori Restaurant! With sweeping views of the savanna from your table, take time to enjoy hearty portions of pulled pork, smoked barbecue chicken, yummy mac-n-cheese, and more. In the mood for something different? Try the grilled barbecue tofu...a Zoo staff favorite!
Get Ready for the Day
While the animals in our care enjoy customized meals to meet their every health and wellness need, our staff is hard at work behind the scenes to ready the savanna for a day of fun and relaxation.
- Water misters are turned on for hot days. Fun Fact: Heart of Africa is normally 10 degrees hotter than other parts of the Zoo!
- Enrichment for the animals is placed strategically in the savanna.
- The perimeter fencing is checked daily with safety and security in mind.
- The five pools on the savanna are cleaned and refilled. Hint: Look for the floating bowls of food for the saddle-billed storks!
- Hay, browse, and grain is placed throughout the savanna for the giraffes and raised up to 18 feet high on eight telephone poles. The food can weigh around 50 pounds each!
- A hanging ball of hay is filled for kudu.
- Areas for vervet monkeys, lions, and ostriches are cleaned.
- A small animal care team attends to giraffe for training, hoof trims, and whatever else is needed…all before 9 a.m.
Hint: It’s time to get ready for YOUR day in the Heart of Africa! Set an alert on your mobile device (or within the Zoo's free mobile app) to attend a Keeper Talk, free with Zoo admission. You’ll learn about the animals’ favorite foods and past times!
Back to the Savanna
It’s time to return to the savanna for the animals of Heart of Africa! The hoofstock barn keeper will send them out in a particular order for safety:
- Wildebeests
- Thomson’s Gazelles
- Dama Gazelles
- Greater Kudu
- Zebras
Hint: Giraffes love snacks, and you can help! With the assistance of our dedicated volunteers, you can hand-feed giraffes from our viewing deck.
Clean the Barns & Get Ready for the Evening
While the animals enjoy time outside on acres of lush savanna, the team is inside cleaning the barns and fixing anything that may need attention. That includes setting up the overnight housing with hay and browse. Fun Fact: Grain is reserved for their time on the savanna!
Time for Dinner
Guests can set their eyes on the savanna horizon and see our team making their rounds to offer each animal dinner.
Hint: Planning your trip? Get up close and personal to cheetahs! From diets and dishes to training sessions and enrichment, guests will get to see everything that goes into caring for these fast felines.
Savanna Tours
It’s the time of night for excited guests to climb into tour vehicles and experience the savanna in an incredible way…with a customized tour! Tours are led daily by the same teams that care for the animals all day. These book quickly, so reserve your seat soon!
Book a Heart of Africa Savanna Tour
Back in for the Night
It’s time for bed, and certain animals head back inside on their own after a long day of relaxation and fun. Other animals will stay on the savanna overnight unless inclement weather is predicted. Safety first!
It’s time to plan YOUR adventure at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where journeys with family, friends, and loved ones await!
