Naples Zoo Blog

Friday, January 20, 2023

A Beer at Bayfront that Saved Lions

A Beer at Bayfront that Lead to Laly By Naples Zoo Director of Conservation Tim L. Tetzlaff It’s September 3, 2014 and I’m driving down Goodlette Road to join National Geographic Explorer Dr. Luke Dollar for a late dinner down at Bayfront. I pulled in recalling when this corner was the Central Mall and I watched movies in the Kon Tiki theater. But tonight’s focus isn’t nostalgia. Luke was in town for his annual broadcast from Naples Zoo and whirlwind tour of schools... Read More

Posted by Courtney Jolly at Friday, January 20, 2023

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Naples Zoo Celebrates Tenth Annual Florida Panther Festival on November 5

Naples Zoo Celebrates Tenth Annual Florida Panther Festival on November 5 Naples Zoo will be celebrating our tenth Annual Florida Panther Festival on Saturday, November 5th, from 9 am to 1 pm. This is your chance to dive into the world of Florida panthers by learning from biologists, professional wildlife experts from national and state parks, state and federal wildlife agencies, as well as other nature organizations. Florida Panthers have beaten the odds through ... Read More

at Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Naples Zoo Reopening Friday, October 14, 2022

Naples Zoo will Reopen Friday, October 14th Naples Zoo will reopen to the public this Friday, October 14th. As most of the downtown Naples area, the Zoo experienced storm surge, flooding, and wind damage. Thankfully, all the animals were safe and secure after the storm. As of the reopening date, the Zoo will have been closed for a total of 17 days. The Zoo attributes its ability to reopen to its incredible staff. “The dedication of our staff is unmeasurable,” said Jack Mu... Read More

Posted by Courtney Jolly at Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Celebrate Pride Month With Us!

Naples Zoo is excited to share the launch of the Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) Committee to create positive change and build a more inclusive culture at the Zoo and in our community! DEAI initiative was set forth by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 2020 as a fifth promise to their strategic plan. We believe that these qualities foster valuable talents, perspectives, and personality traits that make our Zoo a stronger, more welcoming organiz... Read More

at Thursday, June 23, 2022

pride

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Naples Zoo Welcomes Critically Endangered Malayan Tiger

Naples Zoo Welcomes Critically Endangered Malayan Tiger The return of a tiger animal ambassador to Naples Zoo is very important to the Zoo and their conservation efforts. The goal of having a tiger at the Zoo is to inspire guests to learn more about tigers and how they can help them in the wild. Malayan tigers are critically endangered, with a breeding population below 200 tigers in the wild. Their biggest conservation threats are habitat loss and poaching. There are easy ways to help tigers... Read More

at Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Malayan Tiger New Animal SSP Tiger Ambassador

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Helping Rescued Chimpanzees at Tacagama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Africa

By Lee Ann Rottman, Naples Zoo's Director of Animal Programs I recently got the opportunity to travel to West Africa to assist the Tacagama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. The sanctuary is home to 105 chimpanzees that were confiscated from poachers or people who held them illegally as pets. Most come in as tiny babies and have suffered the trauma of losing their mothers and their chimpanzee families. They take time to rehabilitate, but getting them back with other chimpanz... Read More

Posted by Courtney Jolly at Thursday, October 7, 2021

Friday, June 18, 2021

Getting a Look Inside the Python Problem

By Tim Tetzlaff, Director of Conservation Big Cypress National Preserve began a scout snake tracking program in 2017. After veterinarians surgically implant transmitters, biologists track them to gain useful information to reduce the population of these invasive species over time. More immediately, however, these few “double agent” snakes connect with many more pythons, who are removed to reduce the overall impact on native wildlife. One of these scout snakes recently c... Read More

at Friday, June 18, 2021

Friday, April 9, 2021

Celebrating Week of the Young Child

By Maggie Woosley, Director of Education Today is the start of the 50th anniversary celebration of Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). While it’s Naples Zoo’s mission to inspire all ages to respect, value, and help conserve wildlife and our natural world, we’re particularly passionate about educating young children and inspiring them to be environmental stewards. We want to celebrate the... Read More

at Friday, April 9, 2021

Friday, September 4, 2020

Saving Vultures and Putting an End to their Bad Reputation

By Kirsti Mahon, Naples Zoo Show Keeper Though my animal training career began almost 10 years ago working with dolphins, my heart landed working with land mammals and birds. Never did I imagine that one of my favorites would be vultures. Our resident black vulture, Omen, has not only taught me so much in regard to training, but he has also inspired me to be an advocate for vultures all over the world. Unfortunately, due to negative media and a deep misunderstanding, vultures get a bad r... Read More

at Friday, September 4, 2020

conservation vultures

Monday, June 22, 2020

How Zoo Horticulture Works

By Danielle L. Green, Director of Gardens & Grounds Zoo horticulture is a unique blend of specialties that work with plants but often include skills in arboriculture. A “zoo arborist” shares many skills and tree care goals with municipal arborist but perform under a unique set of circumstances not often encountered in a municipal setting. The life of a tree in the zoo environment can be tough. Thankfully, many tools and techniques exist that can improve soil... Read More

at Monday, June 22, 2020

naples zoo trees zoo horticulture