It’s Always a Fun Visit to the Naples Zoo

Get rid of the September doldrums and spend quality time with family and friends with a visit to the Naples Zoo and Caribbean Gardens. The zoo is always loaded with sights and sounds to enjoy – and I would bet that we all have fond memories of visiting a zoo. It is such a joy to spend time with the animals.

For some a visit to a local zoo is the closest they are going to see one or two of Africa’s megafauna. Or the “Big Five.” But all the animals, big and small, are just as awe-inspiring.

Who are the Big Five? Lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo and rhinoceros are what people think when they imagine Africa and a wildlife safari. At the Naples Zoo, there are lions and leopards, tigers, giraffes, blue and gold macaws and more!

Feed a Giraffe! We find giraffes in zoos all over the world. In the wild, the giraffe population is at risk. But the giraffes at the Naples Zoo are very gentle with visitors, especially during feeding time. This is as close as you can ever get to a giraffe.

Malayan Tigers are critically endangered with a breeding population below 200 in the wild. The Malayan Tiger at the Naples Zoo is named ONE, and he is a new resident. His presence in captivity is very inspiring and gives us an opportunity to learn about Malayan Tiger and how we can help. ONE will be given an official name during a special event at the Naples Zoo in November.

The beautiful and colorful blue and gold macaws are the greeters as you enter the compound. Research has shown they have the intelligence and reasoning of a three- to five-year-old human.

Clouded Leopards are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The cats, which live in the forest and trees of Southeast Asia, are very elusive and it is difficult to know how many are in the wild. But at the Naples Zoo, you might be able to view a clouded leopard and that would make your day!

And yes, there are lions!

Some people visit the zoo to see the animals but for me, I visit the Naples Zoo also for their amazing plant collection. And since the Zoo is a historic property, they also have a lot of specimens that are over 100 years old. They have a good collection of large, mature Ficus, Fig or Banyan trees.

At the entrance to the Naples Zoo, you are greeted by a grandiose Ficus (Ficus microcarpa). This was planted in the early 1950s. Banyans are really traders in India that would park their wares under a canopy of a Ficus or Fig tree. Banyan refers to people but also refers to a group of large trees in Southwest Florida. Most are characterized by long aerial roots called prop roots. We have a few of them in Marco Island.

Thanks to nature Photographer Frank Steiger, who braved the hot humid morning to visit the Naples Zoo and take these awesome photos! Frank, thanks for sharing your photos.