Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, located in Jacksonville, Florida, has more than 2,000 animals and 1,000 plants in their collection across 117 acres. The Jacksonville Zoo had modest beginnings in Springfield but is now considered to be one of the city’s primary attractions with over one million visitors in the last year.

On May 21, 1914, the Municipal Zoo opened in the Springfield neighborhood in Jacksonville. The first animal to be exhibited was a red deer fawn, one of the largest deer species that inhabits most of Europe, parts of Asia, and northwestern Africa. In July of 1925, the zoo moved to a 37.5-acre site off of Trout River in North Jacksonville. One of the most significant animals in the zoo’s history was a jaguar named Zorro. Zorro was a black jaguar that arrived at the zoo in August of 1967, and at that time black jaguars were very rare in captivity. Zorro spent 19 years in the Jacksonville Zoo and fathered many cubs who were sent to zoos all across North America.

In the 1960s, Jacksonville Zoo was reported to have the biggest collection of exotic animals in the Southeast. Unfortunately, the zoo was going through tough times and a large sum of money was needed to save it. Under the direction of Mayor Hans Tanzler, a group of community leaders was appointed to find an alternative to closing down the zoo.

In 1992, the zoo underwent a significant redevelopment thanks to over $20 million raised through public funds and private donations. Some of the projects completed during the overhaul were a new front entry gate and parking lot and new exhibit areas such as Birds of the Rift Valley Aviary and Great Apes. Some other projects included an elephant breeding complex, the RiverBranch Foundation Medical Center, an education campus, and a redeveloped Plains of East Africa exhibit.

In December of 2003, the zoo was renamed from the Jacksonville Zoo to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. After that, several new exhibits and areas, including a botanical garden and a children’s park, were completed and opened to the public.

On June 21, 1971, the Jacksonville Zoological Society started managing the zoo. Initially, this committee only consisted of seven members, appointed by Mayor Tanzler, but now has 85 of the city’s most significant and influential leaders. The City of Jacksonville works with the society to manage the operations of the zoo. All of the land, animals, and equipment belong to Jacksonville, so in turn, the city contributes a yearly allowance to offset some of the zoo’s operating expenses. Other expenses are covered by the revenue earned from things such as admissions, memberships, concession sales, grants, and fundraising events.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens offers a variety of activities, experiences, and events to enjoy. Some experiences include behind the scene tours, becoming a zookeeper for a day, Saturday garden tours, keeper talks, a train ride, bird watching, and animal encounters. The Zoo is open seven days a week and has events going on all throughout the year.