Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

A nonprofit conservation organization offering a day of wild fun from apes to zebras.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a nonprofit organization cooperating in conservation programs both in and outside the wild for endangered species. Much more than a walk-thru zoo, this historic tropical garden and nationally accredited zoo features a full day of wildlife experiences to delight guests with the natural world to inspire the conservation of our planet's remaining wild areas and their wondrous inhabitants.

Naples Zoo’s newest “don’t miss” activity is feeding the herd of seven giraffe. This extraordinary up-close experience is offered every day between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Plus the newest hits are the African honey badgers. These viral YouTube favorites can only be seen live at four zoos in the nation.

Daily presentations include the hand-feeding of giant reptiles at Alligator Bay; Meet the Keeper Series; Jungle Larry™ and Safari Jane’s™ Snakes Alive! featuring venomous snakes; and two premiere presentations in the Safari Canyon theater where guests see live animals from exotic predators and other rare wildlife along with exciting video footage and live camera action. And one of the zoo’s most popular activities is the Primate Expedition Cruise where guests embark on a guided cruise through islands inhabited by monkeys, lemurs, and apes. Within the 43-acre garden, guests also enjoy seeing their favorite animals like lions, monkeys, and zebras as well as rarely seen species like Malagasy fosas and Parma wallabies. At large glass walls, they get wildly close to carnivores at exhibits like Leopard Rock, Tiger Forest, Panther Glade, and Black Bear Hammock.

Along with all that’s new, Naples Zoo has a wonderful history beginning in 1919 when botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling founded the garden. A Fleischmann Yeast heir expanded the forgotten garden in 1954. In 1969, Lawrence and Nancy Jane Tetzlaff, a.k.a. Jungle LarryTM and Safari JaneTM, introduced the wild animals. Larry did stunt work for Johnny Weissmuller in the famous Tarzan films, milked thousands of venomous snakes during WWII, and educated millions throughout the Midwest and Florida with his wife Nancy. Since that time, the Zoo earned national accreditation and won both regional and national awards.

And the Zoo’s impact reaches far beyond its borders. In addition to funding conservation in the wild, Naples Zoo plants a tree in Africa, Asia, or the Americas for each child on a school field trip or guest attending a corporate event. Most importantly, the message of conservation is clear throughout all our entertaining programs. The Zoo won the top “Nature/Education” and Grand Champion “Entertainment” awards from Naples Daily News and was voted “Best Place to Take Kids” by Gulfshore Life magazine.

A zoo visit is also good for you! Researchers in Japan found a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in quality of life ratings (via World Health Organization rating scale) for people who view animals at zoos. These results were significant over people who visited zoos for the same amount of time, walked the same distance, but did not watch animals.

Your visit enriches your life and improves the lives of people and wildlife around the world! Come safari with Naples Zoo for a day your family will always remember.