Members Morning at the Cincinnati Zoo

Some Romaine Lettuce for Fiona at Members Morning

Once a year, the Cincinnati Zoo opens up early on a Summer Saturday for members only, with some special activities. This morning, from 8 to 10 .a.m., zoo members got to experience some extra wonderful fun activities given to the animals. It was a magical morning of enrichment.

Henry the Sumatran Orangutan got a watermelon
 for Members Morning

 It seemed that just about everyone got a treat.  Here is a look at Henry the Orangutan, Little One and Anana Polar Bears, the Red Pandas, Fiona and Bibi Hippos, and a few other zoo residents. 

Chester the Andean Bear had nuts inside of a puzzle feeder, a toy that makes the animals work for their food as they would in the wild.
It is a great form of enrichment.

How Henry shells peanuts

Henry the Sumatran Orangutan was given a big pile of nuts and fruits and greens on one side of the habitat, but a watermelon awaited his attention on the other side. Henry eats peanuts in the shell by extracting the nut and spitting out the shell.

How Henry eats oranges. He spits out the peel

Henry finds the watermelon

  His keepers had to call him over to check out the melon. 

All mine. Henry does not like to share. So he doesn't.

The White Handed Gibbons watch Henry feast

The White Handed Gibbons, who share life with Henry, were curious about the melon, but they kept their distance, hoping Henry might leave some scraps later. Not likely, says the keeper.

Henry breaks in to the melon 

 Henry finally gave the melon his attention, biting into it, then splitting it in half with his strong arms.

Bite size slices

Henry's smile

A summertime treat

He laid the pieces out in front of him like he was setting a table, then dove into the pieces with his mouth. The keeper said he would probably eat it all, even the rind, leaving nothing for the White Handed Gibbons, although I am sure they got their own enrichment.

Anana with a blue ball by the pool

 The polar bears got some treats too, some meaty ribs and some toys. Anana was interested in the meat, but Little One was too interested in Anana to pay attention.

Anana with a strip of meat

Little One is still showing courtship behavior, sniffing at her and being very affectionate, even though it is late July, long past breeding season.

Anana and Little One play fighting, a form of polar bear affection

 They swam together and had mock battles, they play fought. He followed her around like a lovesick puppy, letting her have all the treats.

Little One is still showing courtship behavior towards his sweetheart Anana

He sniffed at her back end and nuzzled her. 

"Luv Members" - Little One follows Anana everywhere

Members got to feel the love too, with the lovely banner hung over one of the windows of the polar bear pool area.

Fiona and Bibi wait for lettuce from their keeper

The keeper called the Nile Hippos over for their special treat today, yelling out "Bee! Come over here Bee!" Bibi and Fiona were given some crunchy Romaine Lettuce today, and they seemed to enjoy it.

Open wide, Bibi

Photos of the inside of Bibi's mouth

Daughter and Mother

The African Painted Dogs got some new toys
 and a roller that said
 "Members"  

Elle the baby Gorilla enjoys the melting juice from frozen chunk of ice hanging in inside area of Gorilla World. It was made by pouring sweet treats and frozen water into a bucket and then freezing it.
 Several were hanging up today.

Even the White Lions, Gracious and her mom Prosperity,
 got some lovely ice disks to help them cool off

The Lions were sleeping when I visited. They had gotten some enrichment earlier, and this tube saying We Love Members was all that remained as the lions slumbered.

The Red Pandas enjoyed a new fire hose hammock

New toys for the Red Pandas

A map of the Cincinnati Zoo.
New Kangaroo exhibit coming in 2020