The highlight of this compact zoo is the Tropics of the Americas exhibit, a 3-acre re-creation of a rainforest, stocked with jaguars, monkeys, snakes, macaws and other tropical creatures. The zoo's also home to a few of the last remaining Florida panthers, North America's rarest mammal. Other unusual residents include Komodo dragons (the largest lizard in the world), capybaras (the largest rodent in the world) and one lone red kangaroo.
Like any zoo, the animals are caged, which may be distressful for animal lovers, but the many animal lovers around these parts generously fund the museum to ensure good conditions. The zoo is a brief drive south of downtown.
