We are so lucky to have such a fabulous zoo in Indianapolis! I remember going to the old zoo on 30th Street when I was a kid and even though it was a great time for me–there were monkeys, after all–it was really just a shadow of the White River State Park destination we now enjoy.
One of the best things about our zoo is how it constantly continues to grow and expand, introducing new exhibits and programs to help us all understand the animal and plant kingdoms a little better.
This Friday marks a few new arrivals that are truly the definition of beauty and the beast: OMG! Orchids and Bats & Warthogs.
The Hilbert Conservatory will be full of the fascinating flowers and they are guaranteed to knock your socks off with their odd, magical and gorgeous (OMG, get it?) presence. Orchids will be displayed in natural settings including waterfalls, ponds, streams and all sorts of tropical treasures and will be changing on a rotating basis throughout the season.
That’s the beauty part and it’s fleeting, only staying through October. Now the beasts? They’re moving in for the long haul! The zoo welcomes two bat species to the Forests Biome and warthogs and crested porcupines to the Plains biome.
The Island Flying Fox and Straw-Colored Fruit Bat are nothing to be feared. They perform a great service eating insects and pollinating plants and these particular species are not solely nocturnal creatures so you should be able to see them in action no matter when you visit.
While the warthogs (photo above by Maura Giles) and porcupines are probably not going to win any beauty contests, they are definitely interesting animals. Ever since I read about Meggie’s brother getting owned by that warthog in “The Thorn Birds” I have known those tusks are no joke. Did you know you can tell the sex of the hog by the tusks? The males have two sets and the females just get one! And the porcupines? The quills are also a real threat, as we all saw when the dog vs. porcupine email made the rounds.
So if you haven’t been to the zoo in a while, now might be a good time to see what’s new. And coming up Memorial Day weekend is the grand opening of the new Tiger Forest exhibit, a must see for feline fans. The endangered Amur tigers will be ready for their close-ups.
What’s your favorite part of the zoo?
