Zoo Miami is the ideal place for an individual, a couple, or an entire family to spend a day. As a matter of fact, visitors can travel the world in one day! They will visit Africa, Asia, the Amazon, and Australia. Zoo Miami consists of 340 developed acres with more than 3,000 animals and over 1,200 plants and trees. Guests can feed giraffes, parrots, and a rhino; ride a camel; have animal encounters; meet the keepers during scheduled Meet the Zookeeper talks throughout the day; and much more. Zoo Miami has food and drink concession stands throughout and a beautiful gift shop where you can buy that special memento that will bring back wonderful memories of Zoo Miami!
ZOO MIAMI EXHIBITS
AMAZON & BEYOND
The 27-acre, $50 million dollar Amazon and Beyond exhibit showcases Tropical American animals such as jaguars, the largest cats in the western hemisphere; giant river otters, which can grow up to six feet long; anacondas, the mightiest snakes on earth; and harpy eagles with talons the size of grizzly bear claws. A 48,000-gallon aquarium will give visitors of being in the Amazon as the water rises above head level.
Surrounded by the Village Plaza, there are three areas: the Cloud Forest, Amazon Forest, and Atlantic Forest that house more than 600 animals from the region. Throughout the forests, children can have fun in animal-inspired playgrounds and the Fiesta Children’s Fountain, a fun area that shoots out water from a motion-sensor grid. An eating concession and gift shop are located in the Fiesta Village for patrons’ convenience.
ASIA Hear the exotic sounds of wild Asia as you enter Asian River Life and encounter the small-clawed river otters, clouded leopards, and Asian water monitors. Don’t miss The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter that houses the largest, most powerful lizards on earth from the island of Komodo. These ancient beasts, the national treasure of Indonesia, reach nearly 10 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds.
Among the spectacular temple ruins of Angkor Wat from Cambodia prowl the powerful, majestic Sumatran tigers. The Kaziranga Camp Rhino Encounter allows visitors to feed an endangered Greater One-horned Indian rhino. Don’t miss seeing these incredible animals!
THE AMERICAN BANKERS FAMILY AVIARY, WINGS OF ASIA
Proclaimed a "best bet" by Sky Magazine and "unrivaled" by American Way Magazine, the American Bankers Family Aviary, Wings of Asia, the largest Asian-themed aviary in the Western hemisphere houses exotic, rare and endangered Asian birds representing about 85 species of more than 350 birds, including brilliantly colored pheasants, hornbills and pigeons, who show off their shimmering, iridescent plumage in a large, lush free-flight enclosure that provides the birds unencumbered flight. Tiny and large birds swoop overhead, perch on branches and even strut and stroll right by the visitor. Aquatic birds can be observed swimming above and below water from the air-conditioned Observation Center, and from behind two waterfalls from the Potamkin Conservation Center. The air is alive with beautiful bird songs, trickling brooks and five waterfalls.
The Avian Dinosaur Connection
Did you know that Tyrannosaurus Rex is a relative of the tiny mandarin duck? It is believed that dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago. Although the magnificent T-Rex and agile velociraptor are no longer roaming our planet, many scientists believe there is one lineage of dinosaur thriving today. We call them birds. Visitors are encouraged to learn about the similarities and relationships between birds and dinosaurs in the pre-flight area in the Wings of Asia Temple Building.
AFRICA
Embark upon an African safari to observe gerenuk, pygmy hippos, giant eland, and Greater kudu. Reticulated giraffes, ostriches, Grant’s zebras and gazelles graze together on the African Plains. See the most beautiful eyelashes in nature up close while hand-feeding the giraffes at the Samburu Giraffe Feeding Station. Experience the forests of the Dark Continent as you encounter the family life of the powerful silverback lowland gorillas and the chimpanzees. Many other fascinating animals are to be discovered in Africa, including the critically endangered Black rhinoceros, whimsical wart hogs, Cape hunting dogs, okapi, and the threatened elephants.
THE AMERICAS
Meet the Andean condors, squirrel and howler monkeys, emerald tree boas, poison dart frogs, Cuban crocodiles, and Orinoco crocodiles from Central and South America. Iguanas, white lip anoles, and caiman lizards also lurk about. Giant Galápagos tortoises from Ecuador will amaze you.
AUSTRALIA
An international safari is not complete without a trip Down Under. Meet New Guinea’s singing dogs and Australia’s Matschie’s tree kangaroos, emu, and koalas. Visitors will also enjoy handfeeding parakeets, cockatiels and rosellas at Wings Down Under: A Parrot Feeding Adventure.
DR. WILDE’S WORLD
Dr. Wilde’s World provides hands-on interactive exhibits in a magnificent air-conditioned gallery. More than just displays to look at, this air-conditioned 7,000-square-foot exhibit invites visitors to touch and investigate a wide variety of artifacts and unique specimens. When searching for tiny marvels through a microscope, the adventures at Dr. Wilde’s World are sure to engage the explorer in all of us! A beautifully landscaped plaza that comes to life with large sculptures of animals from river habitats around the world surrounds the museum. Sounds of birds, insects and the river animals fill the air. Traveling exhibits included The World of Giant Insects, The Scoop on Poop, Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly, Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall, and National Geographic’s Crittercam: The World Through Animal Eyes During Halloween, the museum turns into Dr. Wilde’s Creepy House, which will make you scream with unparalleled chills and thrills.
THE CHILDREN’S ZOO
The Children’s Zoo is home to Humpy’s Camel Rides, which allow zoo visitors to sit high atop a graceful camel. Riders experience the traditional form of transportation used by the desert people of Africa and Asia for thousands of years. The South African meerkats are a show all unto themselves, and visitors can get a fun-filled, close-up view as these animals dig their tunnels, stand sentry and frolic together. Beautiful butterflies busily pollinate the flowers and shade trees in the Butterfly Garden where you can observe the stages of development in the life of a butterfly. Kids of all ages enjoy the Wildlife Conservation Carousel with 30 handcrafted replicas of endangered animals. Animal Tales shows feature local and exotic wildlife. And the Wacky Barn, allows guests to pet and feed sheep, miniature horses, goats, alpaca, and many more farm animals.
Zoo Miami’s upcoming Florida: Mission Everglades exhibit will showcase some of our state’s most amazing and treasured natural wonders to our more than one million yearly visitors.
Opening in 2016, Florida: Mission Everglades will immerse visitors in native Florida ecosystems including the Everglades, pine rock lands and coastal habitats. Signature Florida species represented may include the Florida panther, flamingos, wood storks, bald eagle, herons, pelicans, black bear, crocodiles, alligators, bay and coastal fishes, and all five of Florida’s native venomous snakes. Florida: Mission Everglades will celebrate our state’s incredible diversity and the zoo’s unique ability to deliver an unparalleled experience. This exhibit will give us an opportunity to showcase our commitment to wildlife conservation and our belief that one of the greatest legacies we can leave future generations is the opportunity to experience nature as close to its original pristine state as possible.
