“Right now we’re just trying to iron out exactly what happened,” said Suzi Rapp, the zoo's vice president of animal programs. We also saw hyenas and aardvarks in the same facility, and I got to feed an aardvark! Mary’s tip:Two of the young cheetahs at Columbus Zoo are actually the first cheetahs in the world born through in vitro fertilization, a great success for the survival of the species.Zoo officials are investigating the cause of the attack but believe it was the scent of the other animals on the keeper that triggered Isabelle's natural instinct to attack. The keeper shared some fun information about each cheetah. It did not disappoint! One of the keepers often featured on the show lead the tour, which was an added bonus! We toured the building where the cheetahs are housed and learned all about what goes into their daily care and training. The cheetahs and their keepers are my favorite part of the show, so I couldn’t pass up this tour. Cheetahs have always been my favorite animal. My first Behind the Scenes tour was Chatting with Cheetahs. Columbus Zoo did a wonderful job re-working many of their experiences and adding new tours designed for smaller groups. The big highlights of my visit were the two “Behind the Scenes” tours that I purchased. My Chatting with Cheetahs Behind the Scenes experience was just amazing! Mary’s tip: I did bring my own wipes and wiped some things down just for my own peace of mind. The car seemed very clean with a long checklist in the car of every spot that had been sanitized before my use. I used Enterprise and again was able to check-in and pick up my car contactless. On my first day, I rented a car to drive about an hour out of Columbus to visit Columbus Zoo’s conservation park called The Wilds. Elevator capacity was limited to a single party, so I always had it to myself. Housekeeping services were on request only to avoid contamination. Masks were required in all public areas and the hotel room door was sealed to assure me no one had been in my room since housekeeping sanitized it. As a Marriott Bonvoy member, I was able to use online check-in and their mobile room key to make check-in contactless. I also felt very comfortable and safe at the AC Marriott Dublin-Columbus during my stay. All were marked for social distancing and employees wore masks. Mary’s tip: I did peek at the check-in lines in the airport. I took a carry-on and utilized the Delta app to ensure a contactless check-in process.
They require masks to be worn during the entire flight process and provide snacks and water in individual pre-packaged bags instead of traditional snack service. Delta hands out wipes and hand sanitizer at boarding. Social distancing was very easy in the airports with the decreased number of travelers, and the airports have implemented plenty of safety measures such as floor markings, blocked seats in the gate areas, required masks, six-foot spacing in TSA lines, etc. I was very pleased with my experience with Delta Airlines and the Richmond, Detroit, and Columbus airports. A short flight, a hotel room to myself, and an outdoor attraction were within my comfort zone! I’m not someone who can sit still for very long, so as 2020 progressed and my planned trips kept getting canceled, I decided now was the perfect time to hop over to Ohio to visit the Columbus Zoo. Jack Hanna is a fixture at the Columbus Zoo… literally! Traveling Safely During a Pandemic