INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo is the 10th best in the nation, according to a newly released poll from USA Today.
A panel of readers and travel experts cited the Indianapolis Zoo's offerings of up-close animal interactions and zoo admission fees that go to wildlife or conservation efforts as reasons it ranked among the best.
Indianapolis Zoo is home to an assortment of majestic animals like the addra gazelle, cape porcupine, African lions and elephants, cabot's tragopan and dolphins.
NOTE: The above video is from a previous report about the elephant Zahara, who is pregnant with a calf.
Midwest zoos had solid representation among the nation's best zoos. The Indy zoo trailed ones in Columbus, Ohio, St. Louis, Missouri, and Brookfield, Illinois, while Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium took the No. 1 spot as best zoo in the nation.
News of the ranking comes days after the Indianapolis Zoo announced that 16-year-old African elephant Zahara is 15 months pregnant and is due to deliver in October 2023.
According to the zoo, the calf will be the first elephant in the world to be born through artificial insemination to a mother who was also born through the same procedure.
The Indianapolis Zoo has held accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for 40 continuous years, and less than 10 percent of all federally licensed animal exhibitors meet those standards.
The zoo hosts up to 1.2 million visitors every year.