Miami Metrozoo is a very spacious facility of about 300 acres planted with exotics in the midst of a native pineland preserve 15 miles Southwest of downtown Miami. It was relocated from Key Biscayne in 1980 and mostly built in the early 80s according to a well-designed master plan. It is largely composed of many excellent open habitats for large mammals set along wide paths and linked together by an overhead monorail route. Its layout is basically several large looping pedestrian routes that connect at a central point; each of the routes undulate back and forth in their courses, intertwined with the smoother curves of the monorail track above. This zoo is a master of the open naturalistic habitat, utilizing low moats (usually dry) in front of lengthy viewing areas that are set back just enough that the moats become visually minimized; gently sloping open (and usually grassy) animal habitats dotted with mature trees; ha-has hidden by the gently sloping land of the habitats to give the illusion of no back containment; open landscapes beyond the habitats that appear to be part of them, backed by exotic forests; and rocky outcrops on the sides of the habitats that hide holding facilities. Some of the habitats are double-stacked, with a habitat close to the viewing area and a habitat (usually for the same species) in back that effectively increases the viewing opportunities of individuals that may need to be separated. Including these doubles, there are a staggering 50 or so of these consistent open enclosures, most of them for hoofstock but they also contain large carnivores and birds and apes and monkeys. Although a few have viewing caves set within their side rock outcrops, detailing within most of the habitats is on the basic side and could be improved in some for a more naturalistic effect to match the excellent spatial effect; many have central shallow ovoid concrete-lined pools that are too simplified. A few smaller animal enclosures are scattered between the larger signature habitats, but most are concentrated in several themed exhibit complexes, the largest of which by far is the fine new Amazon and Beyond. Being such an open and pleasant-weather zoo, buildings are kept to a minimum for both exhibits and visitor services, and those that do exist are mostly low nondescript basic structures rather than exotically themed cultural recreations. (Only two of the animal habitats contain cultural recreations.) Collection strengths are certainly hoofstock (except goats/sheep), large carnivores, apes and monkeys, and now South American reptiles and amphibians with Amazon and Beyond. Birds are more limited but are very strong where present, mostly Asian birds and storks/cranes. Geographically, the collection is strong for Africa, Asia, and South America. It is weak for Australia, and nearly non-existent for Europe and North America.
There are four modes of transportation around the zoo. Walking is my choice but it is a fairly exhausting route! A popular alternative despite the cost ($22 or $32 for a two hour rental must certainly translate to a bonanza for the zoo) is the Safari Cycle rental, with two sizes of canopied four-wheel cycles with multiple pedals; most of the paths are wide enough to accommodate throngs of these for viewing the zoo and indeed the rental station for these is immense. A narrated motor-driven tram tour of either of the two main loops is also available for $4.95, while an all-day pass to the monorail is $3. The four monorail stations are spaced evenly along its route that encompasses most of the zoo; however, the views of the habitats are not especially great and the basic narration in the enclosed compartments is difficult to hear above the loud air conditioning within. The stations are ugly concrete open platforms with wood railings. Despite the shortcomings, the monorail is the only transportation from the back of the zoo to the front at closing time for tired visitors, perhaps the reason I observed many patchwork refurbishing efforts to the stations that demonstrate a commitment to its operation. At least the monorail tracks do not directly cross over any of the animal habitats.
The layout can be described as three basic loops with several smaller loops branching from them. The entry loop (my name for it) is the smallest and most complex; it contains most of the visitor services buildings, the main monorail and tram station, 14 open animal exhibits of various sizes and geographic representations, 2 small aviaries, 1 glazed wall exhibit, and a side branch to an Australian themed complex of 3 open exhibits and 2 small glazed exhibits. The other two basic loops are larger and of nearly equal size, and each branches off from the entry loop. The first is labeled on the map as Asian Exhibits, although nearly a third of it is African with a few South American and Australian habitats. Asian Exhibits loop features 27 open exhibits, 1 fenced exhibit, 1 small caged exhibit, and a monorail station. It also features three small themed exhibit complexes; these include Wings of Asia, a walkthrough aviary; Childrens Zoo with a petting yard and small glazed exhibit; and Asian River Life, with 4 open exhibits, 1 caged exhibit, and 1 small glazed wall exhibit. The last large basic loop is labeled on the map as African Exhibits, although there are three South American exhibits here too as well as the large South American themed complex Amazon and Beyond (whose exhibit numbers I will detail later). African Exhibits loop features 18 open exhibits, 3 small aviaries, and 2 monorail stations. I will describe each of the basic loops in a counter-clockwise direction in the paragraphs below; I will not go into much detail for the exhibits I describe as ‘open’ since most are of the fine quality and layout I described in the opening paragraph. Instead I will list their current inhabitants and spend more time on the themed complexes and exceptions to the signature exhibit style.
The entry loop starts with an open ticketing and turnstile area adjoined by low buildings for membership, administration (with a small glazed python exhibit), rentals, 2 small aviaries for aracaris and others, and the Island Trader Gift Shop. An impressive lake exhibit backed by rocky walls and waterfalls called Pelican Cove features pelicans, and nearby an even larger lake has a flock of Caribbean flamingos. At the far end of the lake is another building, the brightly colored modern Dr. Wildes World of Discovery that features rotating exhibits inside and is fronted by a play area with climbable animal sculptures ‘wallowing’ out of watery blue rubberized play surfaces. The first of the open exhibits is for Bengal tigers and is the only open exhibit with any cultural theming, in this case a nicely detailed temple and pool. Since the Asian Exhibits loop described later branches off from here, it is a nice entry feature for the extensive area beyond. Next is a small pit pool for dwarf caiman that is too small and dark, a rare misstep for this zoo. Nearby is a wet-moated series of two islands with attractive concrete branch structures for brachiation for the siamang and white-handed gibbon inhabitants. Next, the first monorail station, then a nice large half-round open-air show amphitheater, then Oasis Grill are encountered; the grill is the largest food facility, an outdoor area of a large dining shelter and several event pavilions on the edge of the lake that the African Exhibit loop (also described later) circles after it branches away from here. Also nearby the grill are a playground and water play area. Five open exhibits are then encountered and feature yellow-backed duiker and wattled crane, red river hog, warthog, Visayan warty pig, and a large fenced yard for Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. A spur path branches from here to the small Australian themed complex, which is an average cluster of three small walled yards for New Guinea singing dogs, red kangaroos, and an empty yard. These yards surround a small building with small glazed exhibits for koalas and Matschies tree kangaroos. Oddly, this complex is from 1988, newer than much of the zoo, yet feels like the oldest part. Back on the entry loop, a wet-moated island with concrete branch structures similar to the gibbon structures features red-ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs; the moat is the only one filled with animals, an odd assortment of giant side-necked turtle, giant Thai catfish, tiger shovel nose catfish, and black pacu. Three more open exhibits complete this loop before it ends at the exit, with habitats for addax, bongo and marabou stork, and Dama gazelle and saddle-billed stork.
Asian Exhibits loop branches off from the entry loop after the Bengal tigers and first has 5 open exhibits and an average fenced yard for cassowaries, the open exhibits being orangutan (with concrete branch-and-rope structures and a side viewing cave), Malayan sun bear, anoa, Cuban crocodile, and Malayan tapir. Next is the excellent Wings of Asia, with an interpretive theme linking dinosaurs to birds. It opens with gateways that lead to a central courtyard that has a small dinosaur film theater building fronted by a play area called Dino Dig Pit with simulated bones and nests and graphics mounted on scaffoldings of a recreated archeological dig. A gateway then leads into a Southeast Asian themed building with interpretive bird exhibits and an indoor viewing area of the fish-filled pond that begins the extensive pathway back outside in the incredible aviary. The aviary has streams, waterfalls, several viewing shelters, bridges, and lush forests filled with a great collection of Asian birds; it is not only a highlight of this zoo but also one of the finest aviaries anywhere. The path goes back inside the detailed temple-like building where it began to end at the Metrozoo Exhibit Center that features displays on the zoos master plan. Next on the loop is the Childrens Zoo, a small contained side loop with bright modern structures for a carousel, a camel ride, a sheep feeding yard, a small amphitheater, and an entry pavilion. It also has a few play structures, and a poor glazed open-top exhibit for meerkats. It really is not much of a notable destination, just a pleasant sidetrack. Also nearby is a play fountain and another monorail station. Next on the loop are 8 open exhibits featuring Asian elephants (a double-stacked set of two), black-necked stork (this probably has held hoofstock as well over the years), Indian rhinoceros (a double-stacked set of two), African lion (with a side viewing cave), banteng and bar-headed goose, and onager. A much more intimate exhibit complex is next, Asian River Life, which is a smaller side loop path. It is composed of rocky outcrops and sinuous stucco railing walls with Asian low-relief decorations. An entry waterfall and cave with a small glazed wall exhibit for two species of ratsnakes leads to an upper viewing area for nice aquatic open-air small-clawed otter and Malayan water monitor exhibits, as well as an average caged cloud leopard exhibit. The path then descends stairs to lower viewing of the leopards and water views of the lizards and otters before going to a small rocky yard for muntjac and crane and ending at a nice open yard for Komodo dragons with a low rocky backdrop. This complex is nicely detailed and offers a lush respite from many of the large open exhibits nearby, which continue with 14 more yards (and becoming increasingly African): cape hunting dog, Asiatic black and sloth bears (they rotate in this exhibit), Bactrian camel, dromedary camel, nilgai (a double-stacked set of two, although currently there is a sable antelope in the front yard), sable antelope, spotted hyena, gemsbok, Indian guar, Arabian oryx, Kichwa spot-nosed guenon (on a small water-moated island), and defassa waterbuck (a double-stacked set of two). Oddly, a small wood-and-wire cage is marooned near the gemsbok for Prevosts squirrel.
African Exhibits loop also branches off from the entry loop and in a counter-clockwise direction starts with another monorail station. The extensive fine open exhibits continue with 18 more: pygmy hippopotamus (separated in two halves down the middle of the pool by a concrete branch-like barrier), chimpanzee (with a side viewing cave), nyala and Stanley crane, gorilla (with a side viewing cave), giant eland (a double-stacked set of two), African crested porcupine, gerenuk and African white-backed vulture, Grevys zebra, okapi and black duiker, Samburu Station (a large savanna with a feeding deck for reticulated giraffe, Grants gazelle, Grants zebra, ostrich, and vulturine guineafowl), African elephant (a double-stacked set of two), greater kudu and Thompsons gazelle, black rhinoceros (a double-stacked set of two), guanaco and rhea, and spider monkey. Four oddly different aviaries are also scattered along this route: Andean condors in a low flight cage near the gerenuk, a round wood-and-wire set of two with yellow-billed hornbill and Livingstones turaco and blue-naped mousebird near the zebra, and a roomy rectangular cage for African starlings near the elephants. The final monorail station is at the end of the open exhibits and is called the Tropical America station since it is the closest to the last two open exhibits with South American animals as well as the Amazon and Beyond themed exhibit complex which follows…and which deserves its own paragraph!
Amazon and Beyond is a great new addition to the zoo which is a smaller loop off of the African Exhibits basic loop but separate from those exhibits so that it is entirely its own entity, located on the edge of a central lake. It fulfills three important functions for the zoo: it expands the collection geographically to include South America; it turns what was a nearly nonexistent reptile and amphibian collection into an excellent (although geographically limited) one; and it provides an intimate exhibit path of smaller animals to contrast with the zoos majority of large animal open enclosures. The layout is further divided into three themed loop trails which branch from a central entry. This is not the culturally themed temple ruin architecture of Palm Beach Zoos Tropics of the Americas or Jacksonville Zoos Range of the Jaguar; instead, the small buildings and shelters are a bright but unabashedly simple modern collection of facilities (with the exception of the archways for each individual section which are more decorative), spread out amidst lush foliage, with smaller culturally themed objects and graphics. The graphics are excellent and nearly all are in both English and Spanish; unfortunately, they are so numerous in some areas that they crowd each other. Each smaller loop features a unique childrens play area as well, so that a journey through the complex is effectively engaging for all ages. Spread out through the complex are 3 waterfowl lagoon exhibits, 4 aviaries, 7 caged or netted enclosures other than aviaries, 3 open air enclosures, 3 aquariums, and a staggering 57 or so small glazed wall exhibits mostly for reptiles and amphibians but also for a few invertebrates and mammals! Unfortunately, a majority of the small glazed wall exhibits are viewed from outside and glare is a common problem. The entry area is called Village Plaza, and is a raised terrace framed by stone-walled planting areas that contain a small informal stage structure, a pop-up water jet fountain square called Fiesta Childrens Fountain, several play elements, a restroom and exhibit building with 5 small glazed wall exhibits viewed from outside, and a building that shelters an open-air shop and food stand called Fiesta Café. A riot of bright streamers hang from lines above the central walkway which leads to the large entry arch in the forest, and along this path the entry arches for the three smaller themed trails are reached, which are Cloud Forest, Amazon, and Atlantic Forest, described separately below.
Cloud Forest first features a long rock outcrop with weeping water courses down its face along the forested path, which leads to a boardwalk with a trellised viewing area for an average steel pole and netted exhibit for howler and squirrel monkeys. Next is a nice walkthrough aviary for hummingbirds and other small South American birds in a similar steel pole and netted structure, this time with a rocky waterfall and lush low planting. The boardwalk ends at the entrance to the Cloud Forest Building, a low modern structure that is entered to view a detailed wall relief of the legend of Queztalquatl and 19 small glazed wall exhibits that are easily viewed due to the interior conditions. Back outside, a short walk through more forest leads to two rocky netted jaguar habitats with the path bisecting them; a caged passageway overhead connects them to their holding areas. One is a more forested habitat while the other contains a large pool. Unfortunately, both are on the small side and several of the viewing areas are clumsy and small, the whole arrangement being too complex for its own good. The path between is separated from both enclosures by a forest of green bamboo-like poles which in theory creates an exciting veiled view that is seemingly open to the habitats, but the reality is just another layer of visual complexity. Adding to this is a small cave-like view within a low temple-like shelter, uncharacteristic of the prevailing modern structures. The best viewing area is the last, the Jaguar Shelter, with a glazed window into the pool exhibit contained in an open-air shelter that also features 5 small glazed wall exhibits and a small aviary for green jays and sun bitterns. After leaving the shelter, a play area with several poison dart frog-shaped play structures and a jaguar face cut-out is encountered before the trail ends at the beginning.
Amazon is next and starts with a view to a large central waterfowl lagoon that is divided into three sections by two flat bridges which will be traversed later. A small play area with rubberized lily pads and a climbable crocodile statue is adjacent, and this leads to the Orinoco Crocodile Enclosure, with a nice open watery habitat with underwater viewing of Orinoco crocodiles and 5 small glazed wall exhibits in the open-air shelter. One of the flat waterfowl lagoon bridges is then crossed and the largest building in the complex is entered, the Flooded Forest/Dry Forest Building. About 5 small glazed wall exhibits are encountered in a hallway which opens to a modern rotunda. On one side of the rotunda is a nice large curved aquarium that recreates the flooded forest and contains side-necked turtle, red-tail catfish, peacock cichlid, pacu, arapaima, and arawana. A much smaller wall aquarium is nearby for electric eel. On the other side of the rotunda (and a downward-projected video shelf in the center of the room with a looping presentation) is a large curved glazed wall that views the dry forest cage. The cage itself is outside the building and is too obviously structural and not lush enough, but holds a fascinating mix of white-faced saki and white-eared titi monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupine, 5 bird species, 3 tortoise species, black-and-white tegu lizard, and liana snake! (At least, that’s what the signs said!) Two more small glazed wall exhibits for poison dart frogs are seen before exiting the building and a small low glazed open-top aquarium tank for touching freshwater stingrays is outside beneath an overhang. The second bridge over the waterfowl lagoon is then crossed and a very nice large steel pole and netted aviary for harpy eagles is encountered, which has a trellised viewing area beneath the middle of the enclosure. Attached at one end of this aviary is a similar smaller aviary for toucans and other birds that also contains orange-rumped agouti.
Atlantic Forest is the last smaller themed trail and begins with a fine open rocky-walled habitat for giant otters that features a stream, slide-able waterfall, and larger pond with underwater viewing in the Otter Shelter. Also in this open-air shelter are 3 small glazed wall exhibits. Next is an open habitat for giant anteaters with rocky side walls and simulated anthills. The signs also say that ocellated turkeys and sereimas inhabit the enclosure, but I only saw some sort of unlabeled stork. This is the only habitat in the complex that uses the borrowed scenery of the landscape beyond which is so common in the zoos large open exhibits, but it does so poorly with a low wire fence as the back containment rather than a ha-ha. Another play area with simulated anthills, an anteater play structure, a bat cave structure, and a water course play table is reached before the final large Atlantic Forest Shelter. This shelter is composed of three low buildings with even more small glazed wall exhibits…13! It also has an average caged habitat for another interesting mix including geoffroys marmoset, callimico, emperor tamarin, two-toed sloth, and hawk-headed parrot. Finally, a creepy cave-like caged exhibit is on each side of the walkway for bats, with two acrylic tubes overhead connecting them.
Miami Metrozoo is an excellent consistent extensive zoo and is a great attraction for hoofstock fans like me, so I rank it as number 6 in the 46 zoos I have visited, just behind Toronto Zoo and just above Busch Gardens Tampa (zoo parts ranked only). On my list of top 50 themed exhibit complexes, Amazon and Beyond is number 23. For individual exhibits, Wings of Asia is number 5 and Pelican Cove is number 15 for bird exhibits, giant otter exhibit in Amazon and Beyond is number 24 for small mammals, and Komodo dragon exhibit in Asian River Life is number 11 in reptiles. General admission for adults is $15.95 and is underpriced by a dollar or two. I have posted an extensive set of pictures in the gallery for this zoo!
There are four modes of transportation around the zoo. Walking is my choice but it is a fairly exhausting route! A popular alternative despite the cost ($22 or $32 for a two hour rental must certainly translate to a bonanza for the zoo) is the Safari Cycle rental, with two sizes of canopied four-wheel cycles with multiple pedals; most of the paths are wide enough to accommodate throngs of these for viewing the zoo and indeed the rental station for these is immense. A narrated motor-driven tram tour of either of the two main loops is also available for $4.95, while an all-day pass to the monorail is $3. The four monorail stations are spaced evenly along its route that encompasses most of the zoo; however, the views of the habitats are not especially great and the basic narration in the enclosed compartments is difficult to hear above the loud air conditioning within. The stations are ugly concrete open platforms with wood railings. Despite the shortcomings, the monorail is the only transportation from the back of the zoo to the front at closing time for tired visitors, perhaps the reason I observed many patchwork refurbishing efforts to the stations that demonstrate a commitment to its operation. At least the monorail tracks do not directly cross over any of the animal habitats.
The layout can be described as three basic loops with several smaller loops branching from them. The entry loop (my name for it) is the smallest and most complex; it contains most of the visitor services buildings, the main monorail and tram station, 14 open animal exhibits of various sizes and geographic representations, 2 small aviaries, 1 glazed wall exhibit, and a side branch to an Australian themed complex of 3 open exhibits and 2 small glazed exhibits. The other two basic loops are larger and of nearly equal size, and each branches off from the entry loop. The first is labeled on the map as Asian Exhibits, although nearly a third of it is African with a few South American and Australian habitats. Asian Exhibits loop features 27 open exhibits, 1 fenced exhibit, 1 small caged exhibit, and a monorail station. It also features three small themed exhibit complexes; these include Wings of Asia, a walkthrough aviary; Childrens Zoo with a petting yard and small glazed exhibit; and Asian River Life, with 4 open exhibits, 1 caged exhibit, and 1 small glazed wall exhibit. The last large basic loop is labeled on the map as African Exhibits, although there are three South American exhibits here too as well as the large South American themed complex Amazon and Beyond (whose exhibit numbers I will detail later). African Exhibits loop features 18 open exhibits, 3 small aviaries, and 2 monorail stations. I will describe each of the basic loops in a counter-clockwise direction in the paragraphs below; I will not go into much detail for the exhibits I describe as ‘open’ since most are of the fine quality and layout I described in the opening paragraph. Instead I will list their current inhabitants and spend more time on the themed complexes and exceptions to the signature exhibit style.
The entry loop starts with an open ticketing and turnstile area adjoined by low buildings for membership, administration (with a small glazed python exhibit), rentals, 2 small aviaries for aracaris and others, and the Island Trader Gift Shop. An impressive lake exhibit backed by rocky walls and waterfalls called Pelican Cove features pelicans, and nearby an even larger lake has a flock of Caribbean flamingos. At the far end of the lake is another building, the brightly colored modern Dr. Wildes World of Discovery that features rotating exhibits inside and is fronted by a play area with climbable animal sculptures ‘wallowing’ out of watery blue rubberized play surfaces. The first of the open exhibits is for Bengal tigers and is the only open exhibit with any cultural theming, in this case a nicely detailed temple and pool. Since the Asian Exhibits loop described later branches off from here, it is a nice entry feature for the extensive area beyond. Next is a small pit pool for dwarf caiman that is too small and dark, a rare misstep for this zoo. Nearby is a wet-moated series of two islands with attractive concrete branch structures for brachiation for the siamang and white-handed gibbon inhabitants. Next, the first monorail station, then a nice large half-round open-air show amphitheater, then Oasis Grill are encountered; the grill is the largest food facility, an outdoor area of a large dining shelter and several event pavilions on the edge of the lake that the African Exhibit loop (also described later) circles after it branches away from here. Also nearby the grill are a playground and water play area. Five open exhibits are then encountered and feature yellow-backed duiker and wattled crane, red river hog, warthog, Visayan warty pig, and a large fenced yard for Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. A spur path branches from here to the small Australian themed complex, which is an average cluster of three small walled yards for New Guinea singing dogs, red kangaroos, and an empty yard. These yards surround a small building with small glazed exhibits for koalas and Matschies tree kangaroos. Oddly, this complex is from 1988, newer than much of the zoo, yet feels like the oldest part. Back on the entry loop, a wet-moated island with concrete branch structures similar to the gibbon structures features red-ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs; the moat is the only one filled with animals, an odd assortment of giant side-necked turtle, giant Thai catfish, tiger shovel nose catfish, and black pacu. Three more open exhibits complete this loop before it ends at the exit, with habitats for addax, bongo and marabou stork, and Dama gazelle and saddle-billed stork.
Asian Exhibits loop branches off from the entry loop after the Bengal tigers and first has 5 open exhibits and an average fenced yard for cassowaries, the open exhibits being orangutan (with concrete branch-and-rope structures and a side viewing cave), Malayan sun bear, anoa, Cuban crocodile, and Malayan tapir. Next is the excellent Wings of Asia, with an interpretive theme linking dinosaurs to birds. It opens with gateways that lead to a central courtyard that has a small dinosaur film theater building fronted by a play area called Dino Dig Pit with simulated bones and nests and graphics mounted on scaffoldings of a recreated archeological dig. A gateway then leads into a Southeast Asian themed building with interpretive bird exhibits and an indoor viewing area of the fish-filled pond that begins the extensive pathway back outside in the incredible aviary. The aviary has streams, waterfalls, several viewing shelters, bridges, and lush forests filled with a great collection of Asian birds; it is not only a highlight of this zoo but also one of the finest aviaries anywhere. The path goes back inside the detailed temple-like building where it began to end at the Metrozoo Exhibit Center that features displays on the zoos master plan. Next on the loop is the Childrens Zoo, a small contained side loop with bright modern structures for a carousel, a camel ride, a sheep feeding yard, a small amphitheater, and an entry pavilion. It also has a few play structures, and a poor glazed open-top exhibit for meerkats. It really is not much of a notable destination, just a pleasant sidetrack. Also nearby is a play fountain and another monorail station. Next on the loop are 8 open exhibits featuring Asian elephants (a double-stacked set of two), black-necked stork (this probably has held hoofstock as well over the years), Indian rhinoceros (a double-stacked set of two), African lion (with a side viewing cave), banteng and bar-headed goose, and onager. A much more intimate exhibit complex is next, Asian River Life, which is a smaller side loop path. It is composed of rocky outcrops and sinuous stucco railing walls with Asian low-relief decorations. An entry waterfall and cave with a small glazed wall exhibit for two species of ratsnakes leads to an upper viewing area for nice aquatic open-air small-clawed otter and Malayan water monitor exhibits, as well as an average caged cloud leopard exhibit. The path then descends stairs to lower viewing of the leopards and water views of the lizards and otters before going to a small rocky yard for muntjac and crane and ending at a nice open yard for Komodo dragons with a low rocky backdrop. This complex is nicely detailed and offers a lush respite from many of the large open exhibits nearby, which continue with 14 more yards (and becoming increasingly African): cape hunting dog, Asiatic black and sloth bears (they rotate in this exhibit), Bactrian camel, dromedary camel, nilgai (a double-stacked set of two, although currently there is a sable antelope in the front yard), sable antelope, spotted hyena, gemsbok, Indian guar, Arabian oryx, Kichwa spot-nosed guenon (on a small water-moated island), and defassa waterbuck (a double-stacked set of two). Oddly, a small wood-and-wire cage is marooned near the gemsbok for Prevosts squirrel.
African Exhibits loop also branches off from the entry loop and in a counter-clockwise direction starts with another monorail station. The extensive fine open exhibits continue with 18 more: pygmy hippopotamus (separated in two halves down the middle of the pool by a concrete branch-like barrier), chimpanzee (with a side viewing cave), nyala and Stanley crane, gorilla (with a side viewing cave), giant eland (a double-stacked set of two), African crested porcupine, gerenuk and African white-backed vulture, Grevys zebra, okapi and black duiker, Samburu Station (a large savanna with a feeding deck for reticulated giraffe, Grants gazelle, Grants zebra, ostrich, and vulturine guineafowl), African elephant (a double-stacked set of two), greater kudu and Thompsons gazelle, black rhinoceros (a double-stacked set of two), guanaco and rhea, and spider monkey. Four oddly different aviaries are also scattered along this route: Andean condors in a low flight cage near the gerenuk, a round wood-and-wire set of two with yellow-billed hornbill and Livingstones turaco and blue-naped mousebird near the zebra, and a roomy rectangular cage for African starlings near the elephants. The final monorail station is at the end of the open exhibits and is called the Tropical America station since it is the closest to the last two open exhibits with South American animals as well as the Amazon and Beyond themed exhibit complex which follows…and which deserves its own paragraph!
Amazon and Beyond is a great new addition to the zoo which is a smaller loop off of the African Exhibits basic loop but separate from those exhibits so that it is entirely its own entity, located on the edge of a central lake. It fulfills three important functions for the zoo: it expands the collection geographically to include South America; it turns what was a nearly nonexistent reptile and amphibian collection into an excellent (although geographically limited) one; and it provides an intimate exhibit path of smaller animals to contrast with the zoos majority of large animal open enclosures. The layout is further divided into three themed loop trails which branch from a central entry. This is not the culturally themed temple ruin architecture of Palm Beach Zoos Tropics of the Americas or Jacksonville Zoos Range of the Jaguar; instead, the small buildings and shelters are a bright but unabashedly simple modern collection of facilities (with the exception of the archways for each individual section which are more decorative), spread out amidst lush foliage, with smaller culturally themed objects and graphics. The graphics are excellent and nearly all are in both English and Spanish; unfortunately, they are so numerous in some areas that they crowd each other. Each smaller loop features a unique childrens play area as well, so that a journey through the complex is effectively engaging for all ages. Spread out through the complex are 3 waterfowl lagoon exhibits, 4 aviaries, 7 caged or netted enclosures other than aviaries, 3 open air enclosures, 3 aquariums, and a staggering 57 or so small glazed wall exhibits mostly for reptiles and amphibians but also for a few invertebrates and mammals! Unfortunately, a majority of the small glazed wall exhibits are viewed from outside and glare is a common problem. The entry area is called Village Plaza, and is a raised terrace framed by stone-walled planting areas that contain a small informal stage structure, a pop-up water jet fountain square called Fiesta Childrens Fountain, several play elements, a restroom and exhibit building with 5 small glazed wall exhibits viewed from outside, and a building that shelters an open-air shop and food stand called Fiesta Café. A riot of bright streamers hang from lines above the central walkway which leads to the large entry arch in the forest, and along this path the entry arches for the three smaller themed trails are reached, which are Cloud Forest, Amazon, and Atlantic Forest, described separately below.
Cloud Forest first features a long rock outcrop with weeping water courses down its face along the forested path, which leads to a boardwalk with a trellised viewing area for an average steel pole and netted exhibit for howler and squirrel monkeys. Next is a nice walkthrough aviary for hummingbirds and other small South American birds in a similar steel pole and netted structure, this time with a rocky waterfall and lush low planting. The boardwalk ends at the entrance to the Cloud Forest Building, a low modern structure that is entered to view a detailed wall relief of the legend of Queztalquatl and 19 small glazed wall exhibits that are easily viewed due to the interior conditions. Back outside, a short walk through more forest leads to two rocky netted jaguar habitats with the path bisecting them; a caged passageway overhead connects them to their holding areas. One is a more forested habitat while the other contains a large pool. Unfortunately, both are on the small side and several of the viewing areas are clumsy and small, the whole arrangement being too complex for its own good. The path between is separated from both enclosures by a forest of green bamboo-like poles which in theory creates an exciting veiled view that is seemingly open to the habitats, but the reality is just another layer of visual complexity. Adding to this is a small cave-like view within a low temple-like shelter, uncharacteristic of the prevailing modern structures. The best viewing area is the last, the Jaguar Shelter, with a glazed window into the pool exhibit contained in an open-air shelter that also features 5 small glazed wall exhibits and a small aviary for green jays and sun bitterns. After leaving the shelter, a play area with several poison dart frog-shaped play structures and a jaguar face cut-out is encountered before the trail ends at the beginning.
Amazon is next and starts with a view to a large central waterfowl lagoon that is divided into three sections by two flat bridges which will be traversed later. A small play area with rubberized lily pads and a climbable crocodile statue is adjacent, and this leads to the Orinoco Crocodile Enclosure, with a nice open watery habitat with underwater viewing of Orinoco crocodiles and 5 small glazed wall exhibits in the open-air shelter. One of the flat waterfowl lagoon bridges is then crossed and the largest building in the complex is entered, the Flooded Forest/Dry Forest Building. About 5 small glazed wall exhibits are encountered in a hallway which opens to a modern rotunda. On one side of the rotunda is a nice large curved aquarium that recreates the flooded forest and contains side-necked turtle, red-tail catfish, peacock cichlid, pacu, arapaima, and arawana. A much smaller wall aquarium is nearby for electric eel. On the other side of the rotunda (and a downward-projected video shelf in the center of the room with a looping presentation) is a large curved glazed wall that views the dry forest cage. The cage itself is outside the building and is too obviously structural and not lush enough, but holds a fascinating mix of white-faced saki and white-eared titi monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupine, 5 bird species, 3 tortoise species, black-and-white tegu lizard, and liana snake! (At least, that’s what the signs said!) Two more small glazed wall exhibits for poison dart frogs are seen before exiting the building and a small low glazed open-top aquarium tank for touching freshwater stingrays is outside beneath an overhang. The second bridge over the waterfowl lagoon is then crossed and a very nice large steel pole and netted aviary for harpy eagles is encountered, which has a trellised viewing area beneath the middle of the enclosure. Attached at one end of this aviary is a similar smaller aviary for toucans and other birds that also contains orange-rumped agouti.
Atlantic Forest is the last smaller themed trail and begins with a fine open rocky-walled habitat for giant otters that features a stream, slide-able waterfall, and larger pond with underwater viewing in the Otter Shelter. Also in this open-air shelter are 3 small glazed wall exhibits. Next is an open habitat for giant anteaters with rocky side walls and simulated anthills. The signs also say that ocellated turkeys and sereimas inhabit the enclosure, but I only saw some sort of unlabeled stork. This is the only habitat in the complex that uses the borrowed scenery of the landscape beyond which is so common in the zoos large open exhibits, but it does so poorly with a low wire fence as the back containment rather than a ha-ha. Another play area with simulated anthills, an anteater play structure, a bat cave structure, and a water course play table is reached before the final large Atlantic Forest Shelter. This shelter is composed of three low buildings with even more small glazed wall exhibits…13! It also has an average caged habitat for another interesting mix including geoffroys marmoset, callimico, emperor tamarin, two-toed sloth, and hawk-headed parrot. Finally, a creepy cave-like caged exhibit is on each side of the walkway for bats, with two acrylic tubes overhead connecting them.
Miami Metrozoo is an excellent consistent extensive zoo and is a great attraction for hoofstock fans like me, so I rank it as number 6 in the 46 zoos I have visited, just behind Toronto Zoo and just above Busch Gardens Tampa (zoo parts ranked only). On my list of top 50 themed exhibit complexes, Amazon and Beyond is number 23. For individual exhibits, Wings of Asia is number 5 and Pelican Cove is number 15 for bird exhibits, giant otter exhibit in Amazon and Beyond is number 24 for small mammals, and Komodo dragon exhibit in Asian River Life is number 11 in reptiles. General admission for adults is $15.95 and is underpriced by a dollar or two. I have posted an extensive set of pictures in the gallery for this zoo!
As always I enjoyed your informative recap of a zoo, and I too place Miami Metrozoo as the #6 zoo on my list of North American collections.
