Everything you need to know about Miami zoo

Today, zoo Miami is the largest and the oldest Zoo in Florida and the fifth-largest Zoo in the US. Unlike the other zoos in the US, Zoo Miami nurtures and cares for a variety of animals across all the World continents. Built-in 750 acres, this zoo reflects a gigantic kingdom with more than 3000 animals and 500 different species of animals; amongst these more than 40 species are classified as endangered. The Zoo Miami is also classified as a botanical garden and houses more than a thousand species of trees, plants and palms and features over 100 exhibits. The zoo’s atmosphere, the soil and the foliage are matched remarkably closely to the native habitats of animals that are assembled as per their geographic locations.

Zoo Miami is AZA (Association of zoos and aquariums) accredited and is proud to be involved in global conservations initiatives actively.

The Features of Miami zoo are:

Wouldn’t you like to interact with animals in their natural habitat that gives you the feel of co-existence? Bars are the passé; they make either the animals or humans look like criminals. Hence, Zoo Miami has taken away the bars and removed the hindrances and instead has put on the moats so that there is a subtle territorial line of division between animals and humans, with every being living peacefully in its natural habitat. The zoo has all sort of animals- birds, amphibians, mammals and reptiles. Inside the Zoo, while passing through you can encounter most of the exhibits of Zoo Miami like Chimpanzees, Lions, Orangutans, Jaguars, Giant River Otters, Gorillas, Giraffe, Asian or African Elephants, Zebra, American Flamingos, Ostrich, Green Anaconda, Eyelash Viper and hundreds of other species. The Zoo Miami even takes care of grouping those animals that can co-exist amicably.

Come, let’s walk the jungle with the cage-free policy of Zoo Miami.

Food is the religion, and feeding food is the offering. We all have our meal timings, and so do these animals. Feeding time in Zoo Miami is different for different animals. You need to check that beforehand. Also, feeding the animals is charged; there is no free food (feeding). To feed the Giraffes, you need to climb a wooden platform and face the Giraffes, as they wrap their long tongue around the food in your hand. The one-horned Indian rhino comes to you and grabs the food and amuses everyone around with its noisy chewing. Apart from these, you can feed the Giant Tortoise, the Camel, and all the colourful birds housed in the Zoo Miami.

Exploring the Zoo Miami is a stimulating activity. The tenders various mode of transportation for visitors to choose from, based on how and what they want to see. It sounds time-consuming and a tedious task treading the hot avenues across the extensive Zoo Miami; but to spend a day with the animals, to interact, feel and feed them by being near them, what better way than to walk the zoo. If one gets tired and doesn’t possess the strength in their limbs to tread the Zoo Miami, which indeed is wearisome to many, then one can always take a rental bike and avoid a lot of walking.

And if you want to have an aerial view, then air-conditioned monorail is the best choice that has four convenient stops across the Zoo Miami and has an optimum speed for you to have the breath-taking glimpses of the beautiful canopy. The Monorail runs throughout the day at every 35 minutes. It is also wheelchair accessible.

NOTE: The monorail service is subject to weather conditions.

A slow-moving boat ride full of surprises on every turn, gives the visitors a free experience through the heart of the “Everglades”.

Trams run on the public walkway and provides a soothing and entertaining experience. Trams also equip the visitors with enthralling information about the Zoo Miami animal collection. Like the Monorails, these tours are also subject to weather conditions.

The Zoo Miami wildlife wooden Carousel is 36-foot and has 30 hand-carved animals representing endangered species, and two chariots.

One can escape the walk and pedal the duck or swan pedal boat to experience an enjoyable ride on the Amazon & Beyond lake. Either way, keep those limbs engaged and captivate the beauty of the Zoo Miami. To be safe, water equipment is allowed to be operated only by those with a minimum age of 21. These boat rides are available only during weekends and holidays.

The Zoo Miami makes a perfect melody under the sky of Miami with the screaming of chimpanzees, chirping of birds, quacking of the ducks, trumpets of the elephants, bleating of Giraffes, bellowing of Rhinos, hissing and rattling of snakes, braying of Zebras, roaring and growling of tigers, etc. To bring you close to this melody, the special tours offered by the Zoo are.

This is the best way to explore the Zoo Miami in two hours from the comfort of a golf cart accompanied by a personal tour guide. The personal guide will awe you with some fantastic information regarding the Zoo. Enjoy this spectacular tour amongst lushly landscaped alleys to see the tremendous animals of Zoo Miami.

As the name, it is not like shhh!! Something secret! Behind the scenes refer to those who nurture the animals and ensure that the environment is animal-friendly. This two-hour tour allows you to interact with some of the animal ambassadors (keepers) that call Zoo Miami their home, and also to know some fascinating stories about the animals. You can watch animals eating their favorite treats. It's the right opportunity to ask questions and facts about your favorite animals and have them answered.

Undoubtedly, exploring Zoo Miami is an adventure but wouldn’t it be more exciting to club this adventurous trip with special events in the Zoo. Zoo Miami has some value deals clubbed in various packages suited for your different activities.

Zoo Miami can be the ultimate venue to host a wild birthday party for friends and family.

Amidst the wildlife, there are some surprising elements and many fun experiences too. Zoo Miami takes care of your guests so much so that the guests cherish those memories for years to come.

Zoo Miamipresents event style catering that comes in two forms viz: Taste catering and outside catering. The Taste caterer is Zoo Miami‘s preferred partner that promotes world-class hospitality and is well versed in the splendidly authentic and classic fare. To avail the benefits of outside catering, the caterer must be a member of Miami-Dade County's 'Approved Vendor List'.

Facilities in Zoo Miami can be rented. There are two types of rentals, the day facility rental, and the evening facility rental. These facilities can be used for various collaborative activities like gatherings, picnics, meetings, team building, etc. You can visit the Zoo Miami website and fill-up the form to get the estimate of how much your next event in the planning will cost.

Isn’t age just a number? Yes, it is! Especially for those who get to create their safari-style adventure at Zoo Miami! It is meant for the youngest to the young at heart. The safari quest is designed to bring together people to make them understand when to lead and when to follow. It also helps people understand how to leverage and cooperate in a fun and friendly atmosphere. The Safari quest activities instil Team Building amongst the group members. Zoo Miami extends the Safari quest only on weekdays. Some of the Day Facility rentals are FloridaField, Special Events Meadow, and Lakeside Pavilion.

Zoo Miami aids in amalgamating the love of the guests towards animals and nature into a memorable night. The zoo offers various packages for evening Facility rentals. Some of the Zoo Miami evening facility rentals are Dr Wilde’s World of Discovery, Wings of Asia, and Amazon and beyond.

Aren’t you hungry by now after exploring the vast Zoo Miamiand feeding the animals? Anxious that you will get only animal food? Take a breath, Zoo Miami not only caters to the needs of animals but also to those of humans too.

Throughout Zoo Miami, you will come across a wide selection of food, including vegetarian, to satiate your hunger pangs. You can enjoy dining on customised salads and sandwiches while taking in the views of Zoo Miami.

Owing to a large number of the crowd during weekends and holidays, to expedite your cravings, zoo Miami arranges food and beverage vendor carts across the Zoo Miami. This gives you enough time to explore the wildlife.

Due to the tropical climate of Zoo Miami, thirst is inevitable, especially during summers. So, to quench your thirst, Zoo Miami has strategically placed Water, Ice cream and Soda Machines throughout the zoo.

A cautionary word- food and drinks are not allowed inside the park. If you bring food, you may have to leave it at the reception desk. You may store it in the lobby of the Administrative building with the receptionist and pick it up when you are ready to eat. Picnic tables are located outside the zoo entrance. Coolers carrying water bottles are welcome at the zoo during regular hours, but the zoo does not have storage lockers available for rent. There are options for those who wish to purchase food and beverages.

Zoo Miami has plenty to offer due to its extensive family of animals. But at times, some animals may not be out on exhibit either due to health care need or due to the improvement of the exhibit. In case you want to get a glimpse of a specific animal, before visiting, please check its availability by enquiring with the Zoo officials.

Adult (13 years): $23

Child ticket (3 to 12 years): $20

The above price also includes free Parking, and the entry fee is free for members of the Zoo Miami and children of age two and below. Group discounts on tickets are also available. The larger the group, the more the discount. Zoo Miami offers various discounts to Miami-Dade County Employees, Military and Senior citizens. Also, tickets can be purchased online on zoo Miami's website. zoo Miami is open every day of the year from 10 AM to 5 PM with the last ticket being sold at 4 PM. Except on Thanksgiving Day, the zoo is open from 10 AM to 3 PM, and on Christmas, it opens from 12 PM to 5 PM. If you plan to travel with kids, we recommend you buy the Best Value Pack, which includes All-day Monorail pass and unlimited carousel rides. The package also gives you one time feeding to the animal of your choice (Camel, Tortoise, Rhino, Giraffe, or Parrots) pass.

Do you want to gift that special someone an adventurous wildlife ride? Then Zoo Miami has gift certificates too.

The tropical climate of Zoo Miami makes it challenging to catch a glimpse of the animals as during peak hot hours of the day the animals move to shadier areas of the exhibits. Also, by afternoon, it gets crowded and becomes difficult to manoeuvre your way around the Zoo Miami. Hence the best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon when the animals are well-rested and active. Also, during summers, the blistering sun takes away all the fun. Hence the best season to visit the Zoo Miamiis spring. The weather is quite pleasant from February to May. During this season the temperature is optimum for the visitors and also there are no chances of a hurricane.

Plan your trip and book your tickets in advance for Miami. Hold your breath and be ready to get mesmerised by the beauty of wildlife.