The Toledo Zoo is doubling down on summer thrills in 2026, welcoming new animal arrivals and debuting a fully renovated Reptile House as the region’s premier wildlife destination kicks its busiest season into high gear.
The centerpiece of this year’s updates is the reopening of the historic Reptile House.
“Gosh, we’re so excited. I’m standing in front of our Reptile House, which reopened this summer. It was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and people have been loving it,” said Jen Brassil, Director of Public Relations and Communications.
Inside, visitors are discovering a collection of rarely seen creatures. Nick Gordon, Associate Curator of Herpetology & Invertebrates, said the new exhibits were designed to showcase species that typically go unseen.
“We actually have some really neat aquatic amphibians, so kind of taking you back underwater. We’ve got some really unique species like our Surinam toads, our three-toed amphiuma, our mudpuppies, axolotls - a lot of really unique species that most people might not ever see because they primarily live underwater,” Gordon said.
The marquee resident of the renovated house is Baru, a saltwater crocodile estimated to weigh between 1,200 and 1,300 pounds. Gordon said staff built his new enclosure with both animal welfare and visitor experience in mind.
“We really wanted to give our saltwater crocodile Baru a brand new home that kind of incorporated underwater viewing, opening skylights - and this is his brand new exhibit,” Gordon said.
On the other side of the zoo, the African exhibit has its own star attraction: Eugene, a baby giraffe born January 17th.
" Pretty excitable in the morning, so he’ll come out and run around with his brother Franklin," said Blake McGranahan, large mammal keeper.
Meanwhile, Kirka - a young elephant who charmed visitors as a newborn - is anything but little anymore. Elephant manager Sarah Carpenter said the growth has been remarkable.
“She’s 1,710 pounds, so she’s up from - I think she was 245 at birth. So, she’s gained quite a bit of weight. She is still nursing, but she is getting her own allotment of hay now,” Carpenter said.
Beyond the animals, the zoo’s summer programming is in full swing. Brassil pointed to a packed calendar of events running through Labor Day.
“We have our usual wonderful events happening, our Live Nation concerts that take place in the historic amphitheater throughout the summer,” she said, adding that animal feedings, keeper talks, a splash pad, a climbing wall, and an aerial adventure course are also open for the season.
The Toledo Zoo is open year-round and is home to more than 16,000 animals representing nearly 700 species. For a full schedule of events, visit toledozoo.org.