Palm Beach Zoo facts for kids

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is a fun place to visit in West Palm Beach, Florida. It's a special kind of zoo because it's a non-profit organization, which means it focuses on helping animals and educating people, not just making money. The zoo is home to hundreds of animals, and many of them are endangered, meaning they are at risk of disappearing from the wild. All these animals live in a beautiful 23-acre tropical area. The Palm Beach Zoo is a proud member of important groups like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). These groups make sure zoos meet high standards for animal care and conservation.

Explore the Animals and Exhibits

The Palm Beach Zoo has different areas, each designed to look like a specific part of the world. This helps the animals feel at home and teaches visitors about different habitats.

Florida Wetlands

Step into a recreated cypress swamp, just like you'd find in Florida! This area shows off animals that live in Florida's wet and wild places.

• American alligator
• American black bear
• American flamingo
• Bald eagle
• Barn owl
• Barred owl
• Black swan
• Florida panther
• Gopher tortoise
• Nene (a Hawaiian goose)
• North American river otter
• Redhead (a type of duck)
• Ruddy duck
• Turkey vulture
• Wood duck

Asia

The Asia section is home to amazing animals from the largest continent. One of its highlights is the Henry and Charlotte Kimelman Tiger Falls, which opened in 2000. In March 2015, the zoo added a new area called "Tiger River" to give the tigers even more space to roam.

• Aldabra giant tortoise
• Black howler monkey
• Llama
• Malayan tiger
• Red-crowned crane
• Rhinoceros hornbill
• Southern ground hornbill
• White-tailed deer

Tropics of the Americas

This huge exhibit, which opened in 2004, takes you on a journey to Central and South America. It's designed to show off both the animals and the ancient Mayan culture. You can see two Mayan pyramids that are over 40 feet tall and even walk through a cave! In 2006, the TV show "Ultimate Zoo" on Animal Planet even featured this amazing exhibit.

• Axolotl (a type of salamander)
• Baird's tapir
• Blue-and-yellow macaw
• Broad-snouted caiman (a type of alligator)
• Capybara (the world's largest rodent)
• Chilean flamingo
• Colombian white-faced capuchin
• Common squirrel monkey
• Crested porcupine
• Jaguar
• Giant anteater
• Mexican spider monkey
• Military macaw
• Mute swan
• Ocelot
• Patagonian mara (a large rodent)
• Spotted whistling duck
• Tufted capuchin

The Islands

This part of the zoo lets you discover unique animals from islands all around the world.

• Goeldi's monkey
• Golden lion tamarin
• Hoffmann's two-toed sloth
• Koala
• Red ruffed lemur
• Ring-tailed lemur
• Scarlet macaw
• Serval (a wild cat)
• Rainbow lorikeet
• Siamang (a type of gibbon)
• Tawny frogmouth (a bird)

Fun Things to Do

Besides seeing all the amazing animals, the Palm Beach Zoo has other cool things for visitors:

• Interactive Play Fountain: A great place to cool off and splash around.
• Wildlife Carousel: Take a ride on your favorite animal!
• Latitude 26 cafe: Grab a snack or a meal.
• Amazon Marketplace & Jungle Traders Gift Shop: Find souvenirs and gifts.
• Over 35 Keeper Talks & Encounters Per Week: Learn directly from the animal keepers and sometimes even get closer to the animals!
• "Water Dogs" Sculpture: Look for the bronze sculpture of otters near their exhibit.

Helping Animals: Conservation Efforts

The entrance to Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, a partner in conservation efforts.

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is very serious about protecting animals and their homes. They work on many projects, including research, special campaigns, and teaching people about why conservation is so important. The zoo partners with many other organizations to make a bigger difference.

Animal Care Complex

The zoo has a special building called the Melvin J. & Claire Levine Animal Care Complex. This is where the zoo's conservation work is managed. It's also a very "green" building, earning a special Gold Certification for being energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. This complex also includes the Center for Conservation Medicine, where animal health is a top priority.

Education Programs

The Palm Beach Zoo's Education Department offers many programs for kids and teens from ages 3 to 18. Their goal is to teach young people about conservation and how important it is to protect our planet's wildlife. These programs offer fun experiences with the zoo's animals and chances to get involved in real conservation projects. Some popular programs include Zoo Camp, Overnight Adventures, and the Ed Morse ZooMobile, which brings the zoo to schools and community groups.

International Conservation Projects

The Palm Beach Zoo also helps animals far away from Florida!

• Bolivia: They work with Madidi National Park in Bolivia to protect a huge area of rainforest. This area is home to jaguars, monkeys, tapirs, giant river otters, and even Andean bears. New species are still being discovered there! The zoo helps provide money and staff for these efforts.
• Malaysia: The zoo supports projects in Malaysia to protect critically endangered Malayan tigers. They help strengthen laws against poaching (illegal hunting) and work to protect the tigers' habitats. The zoo also helps educate local communities about these amazing big cats.

Visiting Hours

Remember, the last time you can enter the zoo is at 4:15 pm. The zoo is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days.