This year has been a WILD one at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens! From new animals to events that support the Zoo’s programs and more, we have been busy living out our mission of creating connections that inspired people to take action for wildlife.
None of our success would have been possible without the support of our guests, sponsors, and the community. Whether you visited the Zoo, attended an event, or shared our mission with a friend, you’ve played a part in making 2024 a year to remember.
Let’s take a look at our biggest highlights and four things we’re proud of at the Zoo this year.
Our work with various species has seen some exciting successes this year. In February, a blue duiker was born at the Zoo. Also born at the Zoo this year were five Henkel’s Leaf Tailed Geckos hatchlings, four Yellow Banded Poison Dart Frogs, and a Prehensile Tailed Skink.
Through the Zoo’s Species Survival Program, we welcomed several new animals including African Pygmy Geese, a Palawan Peacock Pheasant, Guianan Squirrel Monkey, Mexican Spider Monkey, Aruba Island Rattlesnake, Crocodile Monitor and a North American River Otter.
And that’s not all! The Zoo also welcomed an Angolan Coral Snake, Sri Lankan Pit Viper, Northern Pine Snake, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Baja Blue Rock Lizard, Cane Toad and Guira Cuckoos.
These additions mean lots of fun new animals for our guests to see, love, and become passionate defenders of. It also means we are able to help keep these animals safe and healthy while contributing to the overall picture of conservation for these species.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens’ Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) also had a very successful year. Our dedicated team, in partnership with various conservation organizations, released 41 young eastern indigo snakes in Northern Florida. All 41 snakes were raised for release at the Zoo’s OCIC. Our team also assisted in a second successful reintroduction this year, sending 39 young adult eastern indigo snakes to their new homes in Alabama.
In addition, the OCIC and partners released 618 striped newts in Northern Florida as part of their mission to re-establish the threatened species into its former range. 163 of those striped newts were hatched and raised at the Zoo’s OCIC. To learn more about the OCIC’s conservation programs, click here.
This year, our calendar was packed with exciting community-focused events that brought people together and made a difference. Our wildly popular Brews Around the Zoo, just for adults, is one of the many events held at the Zoo that aren’t just fun, but also raise awareness and funds to support our animals and programs.
Families looking for things to do in Orlando flocked to the Zoo during spring break to enjoy extended hours and Choo Choo to the Zoo. In addition, our summer series, Sunset at the Zoo, celebrated various cultures and gave guests more time to enjoy the Zoo while saving money.
And despite the first weekend of Zoo Boo Bash being cancelled because of a hurricane, the remaining two weeks were a success, with thousands of families and children attending the annual Halloween party for not-so-scary trick or treating and wild fun.
Our holiday tradition, Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, presented by Publix, is in full swing. In its fifth year, the festival features all-new, larger-than-life, hand-constructed lantern displays and brings in thousands of visitors to our Orlando Zoo.
This year, we gained new partners who share our passion for wildlife conservation. From the Cotton-top Tamarin habitat sponsored by St. Johns Rivership, to Wekiva Island’s sponsorship of the North American River Otter habitat, FAIRWINDS Credit Union as the new sponsor of the bald eagle habitat and A. Duda & Sons, Inc. as the sponsor for our 2024 summer camp and 2025 spring camp programs—these partnerships helped us fund improvements, conservation programs, and educational initiatives this year. Interested in sponsoring a Zoo habitat? To learn more, contact us via email at development@centralfloridazoo.org.
We are proud to share that this year, the Zoo was honored with several awards and recognitions this year. The Zoo’s marketing team accepted a Silver Flagler Award in the Special Event category for outstanding tourism marketing for Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, from Visit Florida at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The Zoo was one of only five businesses named “Seminole County Stars” at this year’s Seminole County Chamber Business Awards.
In addition, the Zoo won an “Experts’ Choice Award” from Trip Expert as one of the top-rated attractions in the Orlando area. We were named “Best Tourism Attraction” and “10 Best of Seminole” at the Best of Sanford Awards, and local residents voted the Zoo “Best Place for Family Fun” in Orlando Weekly’s annual awards.
As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to continue building on this momentum and inspiring even more people to take action. Our mission is to create connections that inspire people to take action for wildlife, and our vision is a world where people and animals thrive together.
Get your tickets today to come visit us at the best Zoo in Florida and see all the amazing things happening at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens!
