At least a few kids will be shrieking with excitement as they catch sight of dolphins playfully swimming above them in a domed pavilion. It lets kids get up close, as do other exhibits that get kids eye-to-eye with polar bears, penguins or a comical walrus. Kids can touch sharks in the Oceans biome and explore others devoted to the desert, plains and forests. Because the zoo excels in breeding African elephants, there are babies to see. Behind-the-scenes tours and encounters let participants scrub down a bathing elephant, create art with a sea lion or penguin, and practice training a dolphin. The zoo sits nestled into scenic Whitewater State Park and includes White River Gardens with a conservatory.