History

In 1919, pioneer botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling founded the botanical garden. Respected botanist David Fairchild reflected, “The wildlife is passing. Man is destroying it. Dr. Nehrling loved it and taught thousands to follow his lead.” After Nehrling died, his garden grew wild until Julius Fleischmann restored and expanded it in 1954. Explorers and educators Larry and Nancy Jane Tetzlaff, known as Jungle Larry and Safari Jane, introduced the rare animals in 1969. Larry performed stuntwork in the popular Tarzan films and collected venom during WWII for medicine. Millions gained a new appreciation of the planet’s wonders through their films, TV appearances, and live programs. Today, Naples Zoo continues its mission to delight guests with the natural world and inspire the conservation of our planet’s remaining wild areas and their wondrous inhabitants.

Today

In this tropical setting, guests can take delight at seeing many of their favorite animals like lions, kangaroos and bears. They will also find a botanical collection of exotic plants, mature trees and rare historic tropical gardens. Experience the Zoo’s feature exhibits such as The Fosa: Madagascar’s Legendary Carnivore, Tiger Forest, Leopard Rock, Petrof’s Primate Pavilion, Alligator Bay and African Oasis. And gaze on an array of more rarely seen creatures like African wild dogs or an Asian deer that barks and eats meat. Guests can climb aboard a guided cruise and leisurely observe islands of monkeys, lemurs and apes in their own habitat.

Lions, Tigers and Bears ’09!

2009 marks the 40^th anniversary since the Tetzlaff family introduced the wild animals to the historic tropical garden. Coinciding with the 70^th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz movie, Naples Zoo is celebrating with Lions, Tigers and Bears ’09! (Oh Nine! Oh My! Cute, huh? Not as cute as the lion cubs, baby porcupine and black bears). See them all during your next visit to Southwest Florida.

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is conveniently located at 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples, FL 34102. ZooLine: 239-262-5409 or on the web at NaplesZoo.org.

Tags: Caribbean Gardens, Conserve, Historical Florida Sites, Naples Attractions, Naples Resorts, Naples Zoo, Southwest Florida Travel, Wildlife Conservation

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 11:38 am and is filed under Day Trips, History & Culture, Outdoor Adventures, Things To Do, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.