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Collectively, the Columbus Zoo Family of Parks had 2.7 million visitors in 2021. The Columbus
Zoo and Aquarium is a year-round attraction with an attendance of over 2,100,000, with 60%
being member-based. Other areas are made up of the main gate, group sales, promotions, and
education. The primary months of operation are from May to September, which generates
more than 60% of the attendance. In addition, the Wilds is in operation from May to
September, with an annual group and individual tour attendance of over 115,000. The Safari
Golf Club does approximately 42,000 rounds of golf per year. Zoombezi Bay is open annually
from May to September and is expected to draw 350,000 to 450,000 visitors. In 2021, we
hosted the inaugural ZOMBIEzi Bay, which is a Halloween-inspired month-long event that
features four haunted houses, two scare zones, rides, and zombie-themed food.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Founded in 1927 with a small menagerie of animals, the Columbus Zoo gained international
recognition and stature with the 1956 birth of Colo, the world’s first zoo-born gorilla. Today the
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a nationally and internationally acclaimed conservation center
and is home to more than 10,000 animals representing over 600 species displayed in
naturalistic habitats according to zoogeographic regions. In the early 1990s, two conservation
initiatives were formed separately and almost simultaneously. A grants program was
established to fund grassroots conservation efforts around the world. Partners in Conservation
was founded to save the endangered mountain gorilla by funding boots on the ground
programs as well as humanitarian projects so the people in the region could thrive without
negatively impacting wildlife.
This year, we are supporting 78 projects and organizations in more than 28 countries.
These projects will help hundreds of species around the world, from Asian elephants to Siberian
cranes.
In addition to its role as a global conservation leader, the Zoo is a renowned year-round
education and recreation facility for visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Each
year, the Zoo attracts and educates more than 2.1 million visitors, and its mission is to lead and
inspire by connecting people and wildlife.
The Zoo receives support from a ten-year county property tax levy and has approximately
100,000 household members.
2021 website data: