Indiana LogoIndiana Black and White Logo
Favorites
Home
  • Best of Indiana

    Best of Indiana

    • Winter Fun
    • The Twenty in 20 Lists
    • You Voted - See the Winners!

    VIDEOS

    • Katie's Home-State Adventures
  • Things To Do

    Attractions

    • Museums
    • Historic Sites
    • Entertainment
    • Music, Art & Theater
    • Cities & Downtowns
    • Tours
    • Zoos
    • Sacred Places
    • Amusement & Water Parks
    • Casinos & Gaming
    • Spas
    • Themed Trails
    • Roadside Attractions

    Outdoors & Sports

    • State Parks & Gardens
    • Outdoor Recreation
    • Farms & Orchards
    • Lakes & Water Sports
    • Hiking & Biking Trails
    • Motorsports & Sports Teams
    • Golf
    • Ziplining
    • Camping
    • Horseback Riding

    Shopping

    • Made in Indiana
    • Antiques & Flea Markets
    • Sweet Treats & Food
    • Home & Gifts
    • Downtown Shopping
    • Outlets & Malls
    • Artisans & Handcrafts
    • Farmers Markets

    Visitor Services

    • Visitor Centers
    • Convention & Visitors Bureaus
    • Chambers of Commerce
    • Associations / Councils

    Agritourism

    • Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries
    • Seasonal U-Picks
    • Trails & Tours
    • Farming, Growing & Eating

    On a Budget?

    • Discounts
    • FREE Things to Do
  • Road Trips
  • Winter Fun
  • Events

    Events & Festivals

    • Holiday & Season Celebrations
    • History & Cultural Festivals
    • Fairs & City Festivals
    • Music & Dance
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Theater & Movies
    • Food, Beer & Wine
    • Nature & Outdoors
    • Sports & Competitions
    • Vehicles & Collectors
    • Antiques & Shopping
    • Families & Kids

    On a Budget?

    • FREE Admission
  • Lodging

    Lodging

    • Hotels / Motels
    • Bed & Breakfasts / Inns
    • Campgrounds
    • Cabins
    • Resorts / Lodges
    • Vacation Rentals

    On a Budget?

    • Lodging Discounts
  • Food & Drink

    Food & Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wineries
    • Breweries
    • Food Tours
    • Fresh Markets
    • Distilleries
    • Event Venues

    On a Budget?

    • Discounts
  • Brochures
  • Contests
  • Discounts
  • Blog
  • About Indiana
  • Contact Us
  • Email Subscribe
  • For the Media
  • For Travel Professionals
  • Hoosier HospitalitySafety Promise
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Indiana Insider Blog
  • Get Face-to-Face with Cheetahs at the Indianapolis Zoo

Get Face-to-Face with Cheetahs at the Indianapolis Zoo

By admin on July 28, 2010
Back

Her fierce eyes glimmered only a couple inches away from my face. Behind me I heard a lion roaring and zebras stomping as the sun beat down on me. The grass rustled but she didn’t look away. I was in a staring contest with a cheetah.

Cheetah: The Race for Survival is the newest exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo and it lets you get up close and personal with the cats. Five cheetahs now call Indianapolis home and their 2.5-acre exhibit is divided into 2 pens, with 2 males on one side and 3 females on the other. On the female side, only a thin viewing pane that is clear from top to bottom separates you from the 3-year old cats, putting you just inches from the magnificent creatures!

Photo courtesy Indianapolis Zoo

I visited the cheetahs when the zoo opened at 9am and it is the perfect time to go. In the cool of the morning they were very active, running around the pen, leaping onto logs, hissing at each other and pacing back and forth, looking regal. If you wait until the afternoon, you will likely catch them snoozing in the heat of the day.

I was enamored by the animals and was shocked to learn that there are only about 10,000 cheetahs left on the planet. The exhibit includes educational material about cheetahs and their endangerment and a cheetah expert gives hourly chats on the topic.

At the Race-A-Cheetah speedway, you can test your speed against that of a cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal. A light shows you how far you ran before the imaginary cheetah overtook you. I made it 7 feet, 11 inches, which I’m told is average. The race costs $.50 and all proceeds go directly to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. The exhibit is sponsored in partnership with the Tony Stewart Foundation and the NASCAR driver’s voice directs you to the speedway.

The cheetahs have made the Plains Biome even more impressive. Standing in one spot I could see zebras, elephants, lions, cheetahs and more. I completely forgot that I was in a big city and felt transported to the open spaces of Africa. Yellow-Billed Hornbill birds are also new to the plains this year and are just across from the cheetahs.

Be on the lookout for a warthog in the Plains and bats in the Forest, coming to the zoo spring 2011!

Map

Related Posts

No related posts.

Related Topics

  • Central
  • Family Activities
  • Indiana
  • Indianapolis
  • Outdoor Adventures
  • Places To Go
  • Things To Do

Featured Post

Rebuilt & Reinvented: This Small-Town Favorite is an All New Restaurant

Featured Trip Idea

Couples: Top 8 Indiana Getaways

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Follow Along the Indiana Insider Blog

Get the latest blog posts to your inbox

SAVINGS

DISCOUNTS

Coupons and Special Deals

THINGS TO DO

THINGS TO DO

Plan Your Getaway

Explore VisitIndiana.com
  • Things to Do
  • Lodging
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Trip Ideas
  • Discounts
  • Discounts
  • Best of Indiana
  • Brochures
  • Enter Contests
  • Local Contact Information
  • About Indiana
Other Links
  • About IDDC
  • Contact Us
  • For Media
  • For Travel Professionals
  • For Teachers
  • VisitIndianaGolf.com
  • Film Indiana
Blog Disclosure

This blog reflects the opinions of those writing and commenting and not necessarily the view opinions or endorsements of the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Indiana.

 

FTC Disclosure

Follow Us

Indiana Destination Development Corporation

 

One North Capitol Suite 600, Indianapolis, IN 46204
(800) 677-9800

 

© Copyright 2014-2020

 

Privacy Policy