Columbus Zoo 2012 Stingray Bay Update

My wife and I visited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium this morning to check out the status of several projects. First off, there is no visible sign of any construction or work being done on the new Safari Africa2014 expansion from INSIDE the zoo. That's not to say they aren't pushing dirt around or doing any other preliminary site preparation but if there is none of it was viewable from my vantage point inside the zoo.

Second, the new interactive touch pool exhibit for 2012, Stingray Bay, is not open yet. Signs posted near the new attraction state a "mid-June" opening. It looks like the queue line was the only unfinished aspect from the outside. This brand new enclosed salt water pool will allow Columbus Zoo visitors to touch and even feed the southern and cownose rays.

One disappointing observation: there is an additional fee to touch and feed the stingrays of $3 for non-members and $2 for zoo members, unless you have the highest level of zoo membership (Gold I think) or have a ride all day wristband.

Stingray Bay is located in Jungle Jack's Landing in-between the zoo and the Zoombezi Bay waterpark. Look closely at the Columbus Zoo 2012 map below to see exactly where Stingray Bay is. Does anyone know what was in that spot last year – was another building there or was it just an empty patch of land?

Speaking of Jungle Jack Hanna, he was at the zoo today! We were quite surprised, while observing the polar bears underwater, to look over and see Jack Hanna himself, dressed in his usual safari khakis. I believe he was in town filming a segment for Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild earlier this week at the Wilds in Zanesville, Ohio. What a nice guy, real down to earth. What you see is exactly what you get with Jack, just one of the many reasons why he is an easy guy to like.

 That's all for now. Hopefully on our next visit the exhibit will be open. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to leave a comment below to discuss.

UPDATE 6-18-12: Stingray Bay is now open!