![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
When we planned our trip to Disney, our reservations for the condo in Kissimmee were from Saturday to Saturday. However, Friday, Jan. 27 was a teacher work day for our daughter's school, so my wife decided that we would go down a day early. Her best friend's parents live near Cape Canaveral, and she wanted to visit them. When we last went to Florida, more than two years ago, we had stayed near them, and one of the things the girls had enjoyed was visiting the Brevard County Zoo. So, a return visit was added to the itinerary.
In my experience, small zoos are often either disappointing, with a limited number of animals, or else terribly depressing, with the animals crammed into tiny, bare cages, looking unhealthy. I'm happy to say that neither is true of the Brevard Zoo. They have an amazingly diverse population of animals from around the world, displayed in roomy enclosures that make valiant attempts to replicate the natural habitats of the occupants. The layout of the zoo is also amazingly efficient, with the exhibits arranged in clusters around a circular central walkway. They also have a large play area, where bored and tired children can run off their pent up energy.
There are four clusters of animal exhibits: Africa, Australia, South America, and Wild Florida. The obvious attraction in Wild Florida is the alligators, dozens of them, lounging in the sun only feet away (but safely behind very sturdy looking fences). They also have a nice collection of local birds on display. The star of the South America exhibit are their two jaguars. I had never seen a live jaguar before, and I must say that I was impressed with the beauty of these big cats! Australia features kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and a free flight pavilion full of Australia's colorful winged beauties. Visitors are provided with food for the birds, and they will often land on your arm to feed. But by far the best area of the zoo is Africa. They have a large collection of large African animals, including four white rhinos, gazelles, ostriches, and giraffes. The walkway through this area steadily rises, and at the end of it you find yourself far above the ground in the giraffe enclosure. We bought some giraffe food, and suddenly found ourselves face-to-face with two giraffes, eagerly looking for handouts. They are quite extraordinary to behold that close, and they lingered for many minutes, allowing for a very detailed inspection. The girls were fascinated by their LONG tongues, and quite enjoyed the opportunity to feed these docile giants.
If you ever find yourself traveling along the east coast of Florida, make sure you take time to visit the Brevard Zoo. You'll be glad you did.
In my experience, small zoos are often either disappointing, with a limited number of animals, or else terribly depressing, with the animals crammed into tiny, bare cages, looking unhealthy. I'm happy to say that neither is true of the Brevard Zoo. They have an amazingly diverse population of animals from around the world, displayed in roomy enclosures that make valiant attempts to replicate the natural habitats of the occupants. The layout of the zoo is also amazingly efficient, with the exhibits arranged in clusters around a circular central walkway. They also have a large play area, where bored and tired children can run off their pent up energy.
There are four clusters of animal exhibits: Africa, Australia, South America, and Wild Florida. The obvious attraction in Wild Florida is the alligators, dozens of them, lounging in the sun only feet away (but safely behind very sturdy looking fences). They also have a nice collection of local birds on display. The star of the South America exhibit are their two jaguars. I had never seen a live jaguar before, and I must say that I was impressed with the beauty of these big cats! Australia features kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and a free flight pavilion full of Australia's colorful winged beauties. Visitors are provided with food for the birds, and they will often land on your arm to feed. But by far the best area of the zoo is Africa. They have a large collection of large African animals, including four white rhinos, gazelles, ostriches, and giraffes. The walkway through this area steadily rises, and at the end of it you find yourself far above the ground in the giraffe enclosure. We bought some giraffe food, and suddenly found ourselves face-to-face with two giraffes, eagerly looking for handouts. They are quite extraordinary to behold that close, and they lingered for many minutes, allowing for a very detailed inspection. The girls were fascinated by their LONG tongues, and quite enjoyed the opportunity to feed these docile giants.
If you ever find yourself traveling along the east coast of Florida, make sure you take time to visit the Brevard Zoo. You'll be glad you did.
