Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and Local First Responders Conduct Venomous Bite Exercise as Part of Emergency Preparedness

Note to Media: The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will provide a Dropbox link including images, b-roll, and interviews on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Powell, OH - As part of the accreditation requirement set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Zoological Association of America (ZAA), the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium conducts regular safety exercises to assure that teams are prepared for a variety of potential emergency situations.

What This Exercise Entails

On Wednesday, November 15, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and local first responders will be simulating a mock venomous green mamba bite that one of the keepers will “sustain” while conducting routine husbandry in the Zoo’s Reptile Building.

This exercise will be full-scale—including a 911 call and transport of the mock patient—in collaboration with Liberty Township Fire Department, Poison Control, and OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. All steps of this exercise will be completed to allow for real-time response, transport of the “victim,” and continued medical attention at Riverside.

Date and Times

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

9 a.m.: Exercise to begin at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
9:10 a.m.: Approximate time of 911 call as part of exercise

For additional updates about the Columbus Zoo’s events, conservation initiatives, and more, be sure to follow the Zoo’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, and visit us at ColumbusZoo.org.

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About the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Home to more than 10,000 animals representing over 600 species worldwide, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium leads by making a positive impact on people, wildlife, and wild places. The Zoo complex is a recreational and education destination that includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay water park and 18-hole Safari Golf Club. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also manages The Wilds, a 10,000-acre conservation center and safari park located in southeastern Ohio. The Zoo is a wildlife conservation organization with regional, national and global impact, annually supporting conservation and research projects worldwide.