AAZK PRE-TRIP CONFERENCE TO
THE WILDS

History of the Wilds: 

From the 1940s through the 1980s, the property that is now The Wilds was actively mined for coal. Like much of southeastern Ohio, the landscape reflected an industry that powered communities across the region.In 1971 the Federal Reclamation Act required mined land to be restored through contouring, replacing topsoil, and planting vegetation to reduce erosion. 

Around that same time, leaders across Ohio were imagining new ways to celebrate the state’s natural resources and cultural destinations. In the mid-1970s, the Ohio Zoological Commission began developing a plan for how Ohio could support its zoological and cultural organizations. In 1984, that vision officially became reality when The International Center for Preservation of Wild Animals, Inc. (ICPWA), doing business as The Wilds, was incorporated as a nonprofit organization. That same year, ICPWA received an extraordinary gift: approximately 9,154 acres from the Central Ohio Coal Company, a subsidiary of American Electric Power.

In 1992, endangered Przewalski’s wild horses became the first species released into The Wilds’ expansive pastures, marking the beginning of a conservation mission centered on providing space for wildlife to flourish and in 1994, The Wilds officially opened for public tours.

The Wilds earned accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1996, affirming its commitment to the highest standards of animal care and conservation.

In 2001 The Wilds partnered with the Columbus Zoo, which strengthened conservation efforts, expanded scientific collaboration, and created new opportunities for guest experiences that continue today.

The American Burying Beetle Facility was constructed in 2005, followed by the Carnivore Conservation Center in 2007. 

Beginning in 2011, visitors could experience The Wilds in entirely new ways through zipline adventures, horseback tours, and fishing excursions.

The Hellbender Conservation Center opened in 2013, strengthening efforts to recover one of Ohio’s most iconic native amphibians.

In 2014, The Wilds celebrated the first birth of a fifth-generation white rhino outside Africa while introducing Sunset Tours and Wildside Tours.

Construction began on an expanded rhino facility in 2015, the same year The Wilds launched a veterinary residency partnership with The Ohio State University and the Columbus Zoo.

The following year brought another remarkable achievement with the opening of the world’s largest rhino herd barn. The Wilds also welcomed its first litter of African painted dog pups.

Momentum continued in 2018 with the birth of the first litter of dhole pups, the opening of the Straker Lake cabins, and the inaugural Conservation Science Symposium at Muskingum University.

By 2019, a new attendance record had been set, with over 121,800 guests visiting The Wilds.

In recent years, The Wilds has celebrated the births of southern white rhinos, Masai giraffes, Grevy’s zebras, and other species that contribute to carefully managed conservation breeding programs. Native Ohio wildlife is also benefiting from decades of dedicated work. In 2025 alone, conservation teams released 116 eastern hellbenders into their native streams, helping strengthen populations of one of the state’s rarest amphibians.

Also in 2025, over 100 American bison born and raised at The Wilds were transferred to Tribal lands, supporting the restoration of both an iconic species and its cultural significance across North America. It is one example of how conservation partnerships can create lasting impacts far beyond the boundaries of a single property.

For more information about the history and conservation impact of the Wilds, please visit: https://www.thewilds.org/history