Brevard Zoo

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Brevard Zoo

Rhinos at the Brevard Zoo
Date opened	March 1994 ^[1]
Location	Melbourne, Florida, USA
Land area	50 acres (0.2 km²)
Coordinates	28°13′30″N, 80°42′50″W
# of Animals	550
# of Species	165
Accreditations/ Memberships	AZA
Website
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Brevard Zoo is a 50 acre (0.2 km²) zoo located in Melbourne, Florida, United States.

The zoo has more than 550 animals representing 165 species from North and South America as well as Australia and Africa. It is one of a very small number of zoos that allows visitors to hand-feed giraffes at giraffe eye-level. The zoo is a non-proft institution open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[edit] References

^ http://www.brevardzoo.org/aboutthezoo/history_1.html

The Brevard Zoo is located in north Brevard County off of Wickham Road. It is within close proximity to I-95. Zoo hours are from 9:30am until 5:00pm. No admissions are permitted after 4:15pm. Some exhibits, such as the Contact Yard (petting zoo) and the Aviary, are not open until 10:00am. The zoo is divided into four loops. They are: Expedition Africa, Australia/Asia, Wild Florida and La Selva. These loops are accessed off of the main loop that encircles the Flamingo Pond.

Expedition Africa offers visitors the option to kayak on the grounds of the zoo. Kayak trips are led by trained staff that provide informative dialogue as you slowly glide past African-themed exhibits. Some of those exhibits are: giraffes, white rhinos, ostriches, siamang gibbons, and ring-tailed lemurs. After kayaking, visitors can climb up to an observation platform where the giraffes feed at eye-level. Crackers are sold there for two dollars a piece to be fed to hungry giraffes. Be advised that the exhibit is free-roaming, so giraffes are not always feeding at the platform.

Australia/Asia plays host to the aviary. It is a free-flight aviary where visitors have the option of feeding rainbow lorikeets. Cups of nectar are sold for one dollar each. This is a very thrilling encounter that is a big hit with visitors. The aviary is home to: galahs, lorikeets, cockatiels, kookaburras, shell ducks, roseate spoonbills, and many others. It is divided into three sections - the "bat side" with fruit bats, the main exhibit with the lorikeets, and the turaco side with several species of turacos. The turaco side of the aviary is also where the butterfly exhibit is put up during its brief stay at the zoo of about 6 weeks.

Wild Florida is one of the oldest loops. It also offers an area for visitors to kayak out into a wetland enviroment. River otters, alligators, crocodiles, and bobcats are just some of the animals on exhibit. Weekly feedings are demonstrated in this loop. Otters are fed every Tuesday and Saturday while the alligators are fed every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

La Selva is another one of the oldest loops. There you will find many of the zoos primates. The zoo's jaguars are also found there. In March of 2007, a newly constructed vulture exhibit will open. Vulture feedings and demonstrations will be offered to visitors much the same way they are conducted within the Wild Florida loop.

Paws On provides parents with a place to let their children play. This area provides a playground and petting zoo for children to explore. The Contact Yard (petting zoo) has goats, chickens, a fallow deer, and a miniature horse and miniature donkey for children to pet.