Zoo Miami555

A great way to spend the day with kids, Zoo Miami - formerly known as the Miami Metrozoo - showcases many beautiful and endangered animal species.

One of the world's great zoos, Zoo Miami houses more than 1,200 wild animals in a cageless setting that closely approximates the animals' natural habitats and gives the visitor the feeling of embarking on an international safari.

Large, open-air exhibits allow visitors to enjoy beautiful and endangered wildlife at a safe yet remarkably close range. With nearly 300 developed acres on a 740-acre parcel of land, Metrozoo is the only zoo in the continental United States located in a subtropical climate. This enables the Zoo to showcase animals that cannot easily be exhibited in colder climates.

Special exhibits include:

Asia: The Asian River Life exhibit invites the visitor to walk among cooling waterfalls, tropical mists and the exotic sounds of wild Asia to encounter the small-clawed river otters, primitive muntjac deer, clouded leopards, and Asian water monitors. The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter houses the largest, most powerful lizards on earth from the island of Komodo. These ancient beasts, the national treasure of Indonesia, reach nearly ten feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. Among the spectacular temple ruins of Angkor Wat from Cambodia prowl the powerful, majestic Bengal tigers, including the extremely rare white tiger.

Wings of Asia: Exotic, rare, and endangered Asian birds - representing 70 species of more than 300 birds, including brilliantly colored pheasants, hornbills, and pigeons - show off their shimmering, iridescent plumage in a large, lush free-flight enclosure that provides the birds with 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 birdsongs, trickling brooks and five waterfalls.

The Avian Dinosaur Connection: Although the magnificent (and scary) T-Rex and agile Velociraptor are no longer roaming our planet, many scientists believe that one dinosaur lineage still thrives today... We call them birds. Visitors are encouraged to learn about the similarities and relationships between birds and dinosaurs in the pre-flight area and in the Field Research Center, which features a film showing the dinosaur/bird connection.

Africa: Embark upon an African safari to observe gerenuk, pygmy hippo, gemsbok, impala, giant eland, and greater kudu. Reticulated giraffes, ostriches, Grant's zebras, and gazelles graze together on the African Plains. Kids can feed the giraffes at the Samburu Giraffe Feeding Station from 11am-4pm daily. 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 whimsical wart hogs, Cape hunting dogs, okapi, and the threatened elephants.

The Americas: Meet the Andean condors, Baird's tapirs, squirrel and holler monkeys, emerald tree boas, poison dart frogs, and Cuban crocodiles from Central and South America. Iguanas, Cuban knight anoles, and Caimans are lurking about. Giant Galápagos tortoises from Ecuador lumber through this section as well.

Australia: An international safari is not complete without a trip down under. Meet New Guinea's tree kangaroos and Australia's red kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. It's fun to watch the joeys jump in and out of their mothers' pouches.

Dr. Wilde's World provides hands-on interactive exhibits in a magnificent air-conditioned gallery. Featuring more than mere displays, the air-conditioned 7,200-square foot exhibit invites visitors to touch and investigate a wide variety of artifacts and unique specimens. Whether searching for tiny marvels through a microscope, or using binoculars to find animals and other items hidden throughout the center, the adventures at Dr. Wilde's World are designed to engage the explorer in all visitors.

The Mercantil Commercebank Children's Zoo: The Petting Yard is a wonderful spot for little ones to touch and interact with a variety of domestic animals and to learn how important proper care is for the health and happiness of our pets. The South African meerkats are a show all unto themselves, and visitors can get a close-up view as these animals dig their tunnels, stand sentry, and frolic together. The air-conditioned, indoor ToadStool provides a variety of small animals for the entire family to view close-up and even touch. Beautiful butterflies busily pollinate the flowers and shade trees in the Butterfly Garden, where families can observe the stages of development in the life of a butterfly. The Wildlife Conservation Carousel boasts 30 handcrafted replicas of endangered animals. The newest addition to the children's zoo is Diego's Discovery Den, an attraction - featuring a 20-minute show - built around Nick Jr.'s Go, Diego, Go!. Diego is a part of the Amazon & Beyond exhibit, which opened in 2008.

Wildlife Shows and Keeper Talks: Go eye-to-eye with snakes, gators, the bearded lizard, and more at the Ecology Theater in the Children's Zoo, where the focus is on Florida's native animals. The enormously popular Wildlife Show, in the Amphitheater, spotlights a variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals.

Zoo Miami has the only handle-able king cheetah in the US, and "King George" is used as a wildlife ambassador to visit schools and community groups throughout South Florida.

Tours and Amenities: Zoo Miami offers guided tram tours, walking tours (with advance reservation), fascinating behind-the-scenes tours, an elevated air-conditioned monorail tour, Safari quadracycles, water cycles (on the lake), state-of-the-art playgrounds and water play areas for children, dining areas scattered throughout the Park, and souvenir/gift shops.

Birthday Parties: The Zoo offers a wide variety of options and locations in the Zoo for private parties, at prices beginning at $490. For more information on birthday party packages, please call the Catering Department at 305.233.8389 or 305.233.0899.

Family Membership options start at $99 a year.

The weekly Summer Zoofari Camp is available for kids ages four to 13, and runs from early June through the beginning of August. Kids can watch live presentations, chat with zookeepers, take part in preparation of special treats and toys for the animals, learn how to solve animal problems, experience a day in the life of the zoo, and learn how animals sleep.

Registration forms can be downloaded at the zoo's website. Pre-registration, with payment, is required. Zoologial Society of Florida members qualify for a discounted rate.