Miami MetroZoo
Encyclopedia
The Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, branded and commonly called Zoo Miami (previously Miami MetroZoo), is the largest and oldest zoological garden
in Florida
, and the only tropical
zoo in the continental United States
. It is located on the old Richmond Naval Air Station
site, southwest of Miami in southern metropolitan
Miami-Dade County
, in the center of the census-designated place
s of Three Lakes
(north), South Miami Heights
(south), Palmetto Estates
(east) and Richmond West
(west). It houses over 2,000 animals on 740 acres (299 ha), 324 acres (131 ha) of which are developed. It is about 3 mi (5 km) around if walked on the path, and has over 100 exhibits.
The zoo's communications director is wildlife
expert and photographer Ron Magill
. He frequently appears on local talk shows and news stations, often promoting the zoo's animals.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA).
The history of the zoo can be traced back to 1948, when 3 monkeys, a goat and 2 black bears were purchased for $270 from a small road show stranded near Miami. These 6 animals were the beginning of the Crandon Park
Zoo on the island of Key Biscayne
, just southeast off the coast from downtown Miami.
The Crandon Park Zoo occupied 48 acres (19.4 ha) of the park. The first animals in the zoo, including some lions, an elephant and a rhinoceros, had been stranded when a circus went out of business in Miami. Some Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and pheasants were added from the Matheson plantation.
By 1967 the Crandon Park Zoo had grown to over 1,200 animals, and was considered one of the top 25 zoos in the country.
Other animals were added, including a white Bengal tiger in 1968.
In 1965, Hurricane Betsy
devastated the zoo and caused the death of 250 animals. After the hurricane there was talk of a new zoo for Dade county, but nothing was done until 11 December 1970, when Dade County officials applied for 600 acres (243 ha) of land in the Richmond Naval Air Station
property. Construction began in 1975. The zoo opened in 1980 as Miami MetroZoo with a preview section of 12 exhibits and Asia, the first major exhibit, opened on 12 December 1981. A total of 38 exhibits, covering 200 acres (81 ha), were open to the public at this time.
In the 1980s, the zoo continued to open exhibits. An additional 25 acres (10 ha) with six new African hoofed stock exhibits opened in 1982, along with the zoo's monorail in 1984. After the closing of 1984 Louisiana World Exposition
(New Orleans, LA
), monorails are being moved in Florida and re-used at Miami MetroZoo. Wings of Asia, a 1.6 acre (0.6474976 ha) free-flight aviary, was opened in December 1984. Three additional African hoofed stock exhibits followed in 1985, and two new exhibits were opened in the African savanna section in 1986. The Australian section of the zoo was opened in 1989, and PAWS, the children's petting zoo, opened in 1989. The Asian River Life Experience opened in August 1990.
The zoo suffered severe damage along with the rest of Miami when Category 5 Hurricane Andrew
made landfall in South Florida on August 24, 1992. The small but powerful North Atlantic cyclone toppled over 5,000 trees and destroying the Wings of Asia aviary, which had been built to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour (54 m/s). The 300 birds in the aviary were lost. While preparing for the storm, zookeepers failed to get a large Rhino
indoors; amazingly, when they came outside, they found the Rhino standing relatively unscathed amongst the devastation. The zoo, though looking quite different, was reopened on 18 December 1992. By July 1993, many of the animals had been returned to Metrozoo, and 7,000 new trees planted to begin restoring the zoo. The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter opened in January 1996, followed by Andean Condor (1999), Meerkats (2000), Cuban Crocodiles and Squirrel Monkeys (2001), and Dr. Wilde's World, which is an indoor facility for traveling zoological exhibits.
The new Wings of Asia aviary, housing more than 300 individuals representing 70 species of birds, opened in the spring of 2003.
On July 4, 2010 the zoo was renamed the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens or Zoo Miami, for marketing purposes. This was a part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration.
, Lemur
s, Bongo
, Marabou Stork
and Saddle-billed Stork
s. Pelican Cove, a large pond fed by a waterfall, contains various types of pelican
s and waterfowl
and lies adjacent to the ticket booths and Island Trader (the zoo's gift shop). Dr. Wilde's World is an indoor, seasonal, interactive exhibit that resides at the junction of the zoo's pathways. The property includes a large lake, called Lake Iguana.
An air-conditioned
monorail
that loops around the zoo's premises, provides both an aerial view of the zoo and a convenient way to move between sections.
s, Orangutan
s, Onager
s, Lion
s, Malayan tapir
s, Asian Elephant
s, Bactrian Camel
s, Sloth Bear
s, Cuban crocodile
s, Banteng
, Gaur
, Spotted Hyena
, Nilgai
, Gemsbok
, Dromedary Camel
s, Indian rhinoceros
, Arabian Oryx
, Cape Hunting Dogs, and a Komodo dragon
exhibit. The multi-leveled Asian River Life Experience replicates the surrounding and appearance of an Oriental river brook. The Asian Small-clawed Otter
, muntjac
, Clouded Leopard
, Blood Python, and Malayan Water Monitor
reside here. Guests can also get close to and brush an Indian rhinoceros
at the Kaziranga Camp Rhino Encounter.
Zoo Miami is only one of two zoos in the United States to display a pair of Black-necked stork
s.
The American Banker
s Family Aviary; Wings of Asia, is also located here. The aviary features 300 rare birds of 70 species in a temperate mixed forest, and highlights their evolutionary connection to dinosaur
s. At 54000 square feet (5,017 m²), it is the largest open air Asian aviary in the Western Hemisphere
. The Mercantil Commercebank Children's Zoo, hosts unique animals that can be approached by guests at a much closer distance than with others. Guests can visit meerkat
s, a petting zoo, the Toadstool exhibit (which displays species of reptiles, amphibians and insects), butterfly
gardens, a carousel
dedicated to individual animal species, and experience traditional camel
rides.
s, Giant Eland
, Okapi
, Pygmy Hippos, Crested Porcupine
, Reticulated Giraffe (which can be hand-fed by guests), Grevy's Zebra
, Grant's Zebra
, Ostrich
, Gazelle
, African Elephants, Black Rhinos, African Crowned Crane
s, Stanley Crane
s, White Stork
s, and the African Sacred Ibis. Andean Condor
s, Spider Monkey
s, Guanacos, and Rhea
s can also be seen here even though they are indigenous to South America
.
s, Anaconda
s, Giant River Otter
s, Giant Anteater
s, Harpy Eagles, Bat
s, Basilisk
s, Orinoco Crocodile
s, Freshwater Stingray
s and Green Iguana
s.
s, Red Kangaroo
s, Tree kangaroos, Crocodile Monitor
s, and New Guinea Singing Dog
s. Aldabra Giant Tortoise
s, Galapagos Tortoise
s, Red River Hog
s, Warthog
s, Visayan Warty Pig
s, Wattled crane
s, and Black Duiker
can be found nearby. Also, a large amphitheater (where animal presentations are conducted) is located in this section of the zoo.
's Butterfly Conservation Initiative (BFCI), a program designed to assemble non-governmental organizations and government agencies to aid in the population recovery of imperiled butterflies in North America
.
The zoo has also provided financial help through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund to upgrade captive breeding facilities in Thailand
zoos for endangered clouded leopards
and fishing cats
.
, which ravaged the zoo, as well as destroyed the aviary (which was subsequently rebuilt with corporate sponsorship help, and now flourishes with dozens of bird species from Southeast Asia).
Zoo Miami is currently undergoing aesthetic enhancements, improvements and construction of a new amphitheater. Development is also set to commence on new projects; a new entrance plaza and Florida: Mission Everglades, a Florida
exhibit that will showcase fauna and flora native to the region's Everglades
that is slated to open in 2013. Design information can be found on the zoo's website.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and the only tropical
Tropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
zoo in the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the old Richmond Naval Air Station
Richmond Naval Air Station
The Richmond Naval Lighter Than Air Station was a military installation about 18 or 20 miles off Route 1 from South Miami, Florida. that was active during World War II....
site, southwest of Miami in southern metropolitan
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, in the center of the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s of Three Lakes
Three Lakes, Florida
Three Lakes is a census-designated place Miami suburb in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,955 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Three Lakes is located at ....
(north), South Miami Heights
South Miami Heights, Florida
South Miami Heights is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 33,522 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Miami Heights is located at ....
(south), Palmetto Estates
Palmetto Estates, Florida
Palmetto Estates is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,675 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Palmetto Estates is located at ....
(east) and Richmond West
Richmond West, Florida
Richmond West is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 28,082 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richmond West is located at ....
(west). It houses over 2,000 animals on 740 acres (299 ha), 324 acres (131 ha) of which are developed. It is about 3 mi (5 km) around if walked on the path, and has over 100 exhibits.
The zoo's communications director is wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
expert and photographer Ron Magill
Ron Magill
Ron Magill is an American wildlife expert and photographer; he is the communications director of the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, and makes regular television appearances....
. He frequently appears on local talk shows and news stations, often promoting the zoo's animals.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA).
History
Crandon Park
Crandon Park is a urban park in metropolitan Miami, occupying the northern part of Key Biscayne. It is connected to mainland Miami via the Rickenbacker Causeway.-History:...
Zoo on the island of Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies south of Miami Beach and southeast of Miami...
, just southeast off the coast from downtown Miami.
The Crandon Park Zoo occupied 48 acres (19.4 ha) of the park. The first animals in the zoo, including some lions, an elephant and a rhinoceros, had been stranded when a circus went out of business in Miami. Some Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and pheasants were added from the Matheson plantation.
By 1967 the Crandon Park Zoo had grown to over 1,200 animals, and was considered one of the top 25 zoos in the country.
Other animals were added, including a white Bengal tiger in 1968.
In 1965, Hurricane Betsy
Hurricane Betsy
Hurricane Betsy was a Category 4 hurricane of the 1965 Atlantic hurricane season which caused enormous damage in the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana. Betsy made its most intense landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River, causing significant flooding of the waters of Lake Pontchartrain into...
devastated the zoo and caused the death of 250 animals. After the hurricane there was talk of a new zoo for Dade county, but nothing was done until 11 December 1970, when Dade County officials applied for 600 acres (243 ha) of land in the Richmond Naval Air Station
Richmond Naval Air Station
The Richmond Naval Lighter Than Air Station was a military installation about 18 or 20 miles off Route 1 from South Miami, Florida. that was active during World War II....
property. Construction began in 1975. The zoo opened in 1980 as Miami MetroZoo with a preview section of 12 exhibits and Asia, the first major exhibit, opened on 12 December 1981. A total of 38 exhibits, covering 200 acres (81 ha), were open to the public at this time.
In the 1980s, the zoo continued to open exhibits. An additional 25 acres (10 ha) with six new African hoofed stock exhibits opened in 1982, along with the zoo's monorail in 1984. After the closing of 1984 Louisiana World Exposition
1984 Louisiana World Exposition
The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was a World's Fair held in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was held 100 years after the city's earlier World's Fair, the World Cotton Centennial in 1884. It opened on Saturday, May 12, 1984 and ended on Sunday, November 11, 1984...
(New Orleans, LA
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
), monorails are being moved in Florida and re-used at Miami MetroZoo. Wings of Asia, a 1.6 acre (0.6474976 ha) free-flight aviary, was opened in December 1984. Three additional African hoofed stock exhibits followed in 1985, and two new exhibits were opened in the African savanna section in 1986. The Australian section of the zoo was opened in 1989, and PAWS, the children's petting zoo, opened in 1989. The Asian River Life Experience opened in August 1990.
The zoo suffered severe damage along with the rest of Miami when Category 5 Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
made landfall in South Florida on August 24, 1992. The small but powerful North Atlantic cyclone toppled over 5,000 trees and destroying the Wings of Asia aviary, which had been built to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour (54 m/s). The 300 birds in the aviary were lost. While preparing for the storm, zookeepers failed to get a large Rhino
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
indoors; amazingly, when they came outside, they found the Rhino standing relatively unscathed amongst the devastation. The zoo, though looking quite different, was reopened on 18 December 1992. By July 1993, many of the animals had been returned to Metrozoo, and 7,000 new trees planted to begin restoring the zoo. The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter opened in January 1996, followed by Andean Condor (1999), Meerkats (2000), Cuban Crocodiles and Squirrel Monkeys (2001), and Dr. Wilde's World, which is an indoor facility for traveling zoological exhibits.
The new Wings of Asia aviary, housing more than 300 individuals representing 70 species of birds, opened in the spring of 2003.
On July 4, 2010 the zoo was renamed the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens or Zoo Miami, for marketing purposes. This was a part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration.
Exhibits and Animals
There are four main exhibit sections in the zoo; Asia, Africa, Amazon and Beyond and Australia. There are also several animal exhibits that are not located in a specific area, including American Flamingos, Siamang gibbons, AddaxAddax
The Addax , also known as the screwhorn antelope, is a critically endangered species of antelope that lives in the Sahara desert. As suggested by its alternative name, this pale antelope has long, twisted horns. It is closely related to the oryx, but differs from other antelopes by having large...
, Lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s, Bongo
Bongo
Bongo may refer to:In nature:*Bongo , a species of forest antelope from AfricaIn geography:*Bongo Country, the name of several places in Africa*Bongo , Ivory CoastIn entertainment:...
, Marabou Stork
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
and Saddle-billed Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
The Saddle-billed Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa.This is a close...
s. Pelican Cove, a large pond fed by a waterfall, contains various types of pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s and waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
and lies adjacent to the ticket booths and Island Trader (the zoo's gift shop). Dr. Wilde's World is an indoor, seasonal, interactive exhibit that resides at the junction of the zoo's pathways. The property includes a large lake, called Lake Iguana.
An air-conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
that loops around the zoo's premises, provides both an aerial view of the zoo and a convenient way to move between sections.
Asia
The zoo's Asian exhibit features dozens of animals such as TigerTiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s, Orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s, Onager
Onager
The Onager is a large member of the genus Equus of the family Equidae native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel and Tibet...
s, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, Malayan tapir
Malayan Tapir
The Malayan Tapir , also called the Asian Tapir, is the largest of the four species of tapir and the only one native to Asia. The scientific name refers to the East Indies, the species' natural habitat...
s, Asian Elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
s, Bactrian Camel
Bactrian camel
The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
s, Sloth Bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
s, Cuban crocodile
Cuban crocodile
The Cuban crocodile is a small species of crocodile found only in Cuba's Zapata Swamp and the Isle of Youth, and highly endangered, though it formerly ranged elsewhere in the Caribbean...
s, Banteng
Banteng
The banteng , also known as tembadau, is a species of wild cattle found in Southeast Asia.Banteng have been domesticated in several places in Southeast Asia, and there are around 1.5 million domestic banteng, which are called Bali cattle. These animals are used as working animals and for their meat...
, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...
, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...
, Gemsbok
Gemsbok
The gemsbok or gemsbuck is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of southern Africa, but formerly some authorities included the East African Oryx as a subspecies...
, Dromedary Camel
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
s, Indian rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
, Arabian Oryx
Arabian Oryx
The Arabian Oryx or White Oryx is a medium sized antelope with a distinct shoulder hump, long straight horns, and a tufted tail. It is a bovid, and the smallest member of Oryx genus, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian peninsula...
, Cape Hunting Dogs, and a Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
exhibit. The multi-leveled Asian River Life Experience replicates the surrounding and appearance of an Oriental river brook. The Asian Small-clawed Otter
Oriental Small-clawed Otter
The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
, muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
, Clouded Leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
, Blood Python, and Malayan Water Monitor
Water monitor
The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing to in length, with the average size of most adults at long. Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over , but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally compressed tail...
reside here. Guests can also get close to and brush an Indian rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
at the Kaziranga Camp Rhino Encounter.
Zoo Miami is only one of two zoos in the United States to display a pair of Black-necked stork
Black-necked Stork
The Black-necked Stork is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across South and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetland habitats to forage for a wide range of animal prey...
s.
The American Banker
American Banker
American Banker is a daily trade newspaper covering the financial services industry. Founded in 1836and based in New York, American Banker has approximately 50 reporters and editors in six U.S. cities who monitor developments and breaking news affecting banks...
s Family Aviary; Wings of Asia, is also located here. The aviary features 300 rare birds of 70 species in a temperate mixed forest, and highlights their evolutionary connection to dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s. At 54000 square feet (5,017 m²), it is the largest open air Asian aviary in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
. The Mercantil Commercebank Children's Zoo, hosts unique animals that can be approached by guests at a much closer distance than with others. Guests can visit meerkat
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
s, a petting zoo, the Toadstool exhibit (which displays species of reptiles, amphibians and insects), butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
gardens, a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
dedicated to individual animal species, and experience traditional camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
rides.
Africa
The African lobe of the zoo offers animals from different locations on the African continent. Species include but are not limited to Lowland Gorillas, ChimpanzeeChimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
s, Giant Eland
Giant Eland
The giant eland is an open forest savannah antelope. It is found in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Cameroon and Senegal. There are two subspecies: the endangered T. d. derbianus, found in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, and the low risk T. d...
, Okapi
Okapi
The okapi , Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa...
, Pygmy Hippos, Crested Porcupine
Crested Porcupine
The crested porcupine is a species of rodent in the Hystricidae family.It is extant in mainland Italy, Sicily, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.-Physical Attributes:...
, Reticulated Giraffe (which can be hand-fed by guests), Grevy's Zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
, Grant's Zebra
Grant's Zebra
The Grant's Zebra is the smallest of six subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Distribution:The distribution of this subspecies is in Zambia west of the Luangwa river and west to Kariba, Shaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north to the Kibanzao Plateau. In Tanzania north from...
, Ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, Gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
, African Elephants, Black Rhinos, African Crowned Crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
s, Stanley Crane
Blue Crane
The Blue Crane , also known as the Stanley Crane and the Paradise Crane, is the national bird of South Africa. It is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, but is fairly small by the standards of the crane family. It is 100–120 cm tall and weighs 4.0–6.2 kg...
s, White Stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
s, and the African Sacred Ibis. Andean Condor
Andean Condor
The Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur...
s, Spider Monkey
Spider monkey
Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil...
s, Guanacos, and Rhea
Rhea (bird)
The rheas are ratites in the genus Rhea, native to South America. There are two existing species: the Greater or American Rhea and the Lesser or Darwin's Rhea. The genus name was given in 1752 by Paul Möhring and adopted as the English common name. Möhring's reason for choosing this name, from the...
s can also be seen here even though they are indigenous to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Amazon and Beyond
Amazon and Beyond, the newest exhibit, opened on December 6, 2008. This exhibit has 27 acres (10.9 ha) dedicated to the flora and fauna of tropical America. This exhibit is divided into four separate areas; Village Plaza, Cloud Forest, Amazonia, and Atlantic Forest. Each area represents native habitats that are found in the Amazon region. Some of the featured animals in this exhibit are JaguarJaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s, Anaconda
Anaconda
An anaconda is a large, non-venomous snake found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world.Anaconda...
s, Giant River Otter
Giant Otter
The giant otter is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, a globally successful group of predators. Unusually for a mustelid, the giant otter is a social species, with family groups typically supporting three to eight members...
s, Giant Anteater
Giant Anteater
The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
s, Harpy Eagles, Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, Basilisk
Basiliscus (genus)
Basiliscus is a genus of large corytophanid lizards, commonly known as basilisks, which are endemic to southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
s, Orinoco Crocodile
Orinoco Crocodile
The Orinoco crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is a critically endangered crocodile found in freshwater in northern South America, in particular the Orinoco River. Typical measurements for adults range from 3 to 4.8 m . Typical weight for mature females is 200 kg and 380 kg for males...
s, Freshwater Stingray
Potamotrygon
Potamotrygon is a genus of freshwater stingrays native to the rivers of South America. As of July 2006, FishBase lists seventeen distinct species. The type species is P. hystrix....
s and Green Iguana
Green Iguana
The Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
s.
Australia
The zoo's Australian habitat showcases Oceanic specimens including KoalaKoala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s, Red Kangaroo
Red Kangaroo
The Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests.-Description:This species is a very...
s, Tree kangaroos, Crocodile Monitor
Varanus salvadorii
Varanus salvadorii is a monitor lizard found in New Guinea. It is also known by the common names Salvadori's monitor, Crocodile monitor, Papua monitor, and Artellia. The largest monitor lizard in New Guinea, it is believed to be one of the longest lizards in the world, reaching up to . It is the...
s, and New Guinea Singing Dog
New Guinea Singing Dog
The New Guinea Singing Dog is a wild dog once found throughout New Guinea. New Guinea Singing Dogs are named for their unique howl....
s. Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Aldabra Giant Tortoise
The Aldabra giant tortoise , from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world....
s, Galapagos Tortoise
Galápagos tortoise
The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise, reaching weights of over and lengths of over . With life spans in the wild of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-lived vertebrates...
s, Red River Hog
Red River Hog
The red river hog , also known as the bush pig , is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, with most of its distribution in the Guinean and Congolian forests...
s, Warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
s, Visayan Warty Pig
Visayan warty pig
The Visayan Warty Pig, Sus cebifrons, is a critically endangered species of pig. The Visayan warty pig is endemic to two of the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines, and is threatened by habitat loss, food shortages and hunting - these are the leading causes of the Visayan Warty Pig's status...
s, Wattled crane
Wattled Crane
The Wattled Crane, Bugeranus carunculatus is a large bird found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is monotypical for its genus.At a height of up to , it is the largest crane in Africa and is the second tallest species of crane, after the Sarus Crane. The wingspan is , the length is...
s, and Black Duiker
Black Duiker
Black duiker is a forest dwelling duiker found in the southern parts of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria....
can be found nearby. Also, a large amphitheater (where animal presentations are conducted) is located in this section of the zoo.
Conservation
Zoo Miami supports conservation programs at the local, national and global level, and was a founding member of the AZAAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
's Butterfly Conservation Initiative (BFCI), a program designed to assemble non-governmental organizations and government agencies to aid in the population recovery of imperiled butterflies in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The zoo has also provided financial help through the Zoo Miami Conservation Fund to upgrade captive breeding facilities in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
zoos for endangered clouded leopards
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
and fishing cats
Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
.
Future
On November 7, 2006 voters approved for an expansion of Zoo Miami. This expansion is planned to include a family oriented hotel and water park adjacent to the current zoo in order to attract more visitors, since attendance has been lacking in the years after Hurricane AndrewHurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
, which ravaged the zoo, as well as destroyed the aviary (which was subsequently rebuilt with corporate sponsorship help, and now flourishes with dozens of bird species from Southeast Asia).
Zoo Miami is currently undergoing aesthetic enhancements, improvements and construction of a new amphitheater. Development is also set to commence on new projects; a new entrance plaza and Florida: Mission Everglades, a Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
exhibit that will showcase fauna and flora native to the region's Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
that is slated to open in 2013. Design information can be found on the zoo's website.