Brevard Zoo

8225 North Wickham Road

Melbourne, FL 32940

www.brevardzoo.org 

Opening Times

Daily                9.30am – 5.00pm (last admission at 4.15pm)

Closed             Thanksgiving & Christmas Day

Closes at 3pm on event days (ie Safari Under the Stars, Boo at the Zoo, Great Tastes of Suntree). Most activities are outside, and may close early if there are severe weather conditions.

Prices (2009)

Adults              $12.50

Seniors$11.50

Children           $9.50 (Ages 2 – 12).  Under 2’s are free

Opened in 1994, Brevard Zoo is about an hour’s dive away from Kissimmee, and is located on the Space Coast, just ½ mile east of I95, exit 191, in Melbourne, Florida.

Covering 5 acres, Brevard Zoo contains more than 550 animals representing 165 species from North and South America, Australia and Asia.

The zoo is divided into five areas: Expedition Africa, Australia/Asia, Wild Florida, La Selva & Paws On Play.  These loops are accessed off the main loop that encircles the Indian River Play Lagoon.

Feed The Giraffes / Lorikeets
Feed the giraffes at the giraffe platform in Expedition Africa.  (Treats are $2).
Feed nectar to the lorikeets (parrots) in the Aviary in Australasia. (Nectar cups are $1).
Feed seed sticks to the cockatiels in the Aviary in Australasia. (Seed sticks are $1).

Cape To Cairo Express Train Ride
The 10 minute ride passes the Australian aviary and around Lemur Island, an island that houses the zoo’s lemurs. ($3 for ages 2 and up)

Australia/Asia
Featuring animals from Australia and Oceania, such as the red kangaroo, emu and wallaby. This also houses the aviary which is divided into three sections: bats, lorikeets and turacos. There is also a butterfly exhibit six weeks of the year in the turaco section.  Siamang gibbons are located between the entrances to Expedition Africa and Australia/Asia.

Kayaking
Choose either a guided kayaking tour of the 22 acre restored wetlands in Wild Florida, at the Wetlands Outpost, or paddle through Expedition Africa, which features white rhinos, giraffes and ostriches.  ($6 per person).

Not for under 5’s.  Children 5 - 12 must be accompanied by an adult in the kayak with them. All participants must sign a waiver in order to kayak (Under 18’s must have a signed waiver by a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian).

Wild Florida
On exhibit are otters, alligators, crocodiles and bobcats.  This is where the alligators and otters are fed.

La Selva (the jungle)
On exhibit are the jaguars, Cottontop Tamarins, Golden-headed Lion Tamarins, iguanas and vultures.

Animal Demos
Alligator and Crocodile Feeding: At 3 p.m. every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, viewed from the bridge to Wild Florida.
Vulture Feeding: At 12 noon daily in the La Selva loop.
River Otter Feeding: At 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Saturday at the otter habitat in Wild Florida.

WildlifeDetectiveTrainingAcademy
Specifically focused toward smaller children, the building houses the terrariums containing the zoo’s reptiles, amphibians and arthropods.  The children can dig up bones in a sand pit, from an ‘animal crime scene’ and an animal hospital where children learn about animal anatomy and veterinary science.  There is also a new mystery every month which children can investigate and find clues throughout the zoo. Visit Lagoonadventures.org for more information.

Paws On Play
Lots of fun for the whole family, including water play, an aquarium, fort building and animal petting area.  The Indian River Play Lagoon is a water play area that runs alongside the 20,000 gallon aquarium featuring animals found along the Indian River Lagoon. There is also a separate area for under 3’s to splash about.

The Flamingo Café and Whale’s Tail offer a large selection of food, snacks, and drinks. Open daily 10.00am to 4.30pm. 

Panther’s Paw Gift Shop:   Opens at 10 a.m.

Admission Packages:

Young Explorer’s Package (Adults $17, Seniors $16, Children $14).  Includes Zoo admission and tickets to ride the train, feed the giraffe and lorikeets..

Wild Explorer’s Package (Adults $19, Seniors $18, Children $16).  Includes Zoo admission, a choice of kayaking Wild Florida or Expedition Africa, and giraffe and lorikeet feedings.

Wild Encounter Tours, Destination Africa(Ages 5 - Adult $75, Seniors & Ages 3 & 4  $37.50, Unders 2’s are free).  An educational hour with the Zoo’s animal residents like Ollie, a black-throated monitor lizard, and Howard, one of the white rhinos. Learn how to keep these beautiful creatures conditioned, healthy, and mentally enriched, and explore first-hand how the Zoo’s skilled keepers utilize their training to interact with the animals. (For reservations call 321 254 9453 Ext. 219 or email edregistrar@brevardzoo.org  )
Tours are on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m

The Rules of the Wild

No age limit, but children 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. No strollers permitted on tour.
Smoking is not permitted inside the Zoo.
Pets are not allowed inside the Zoo (service animal owners must check in with Zoo administration office.)
Shirt and shoes are required at all times.
Loitering on Brevard Zoo property, including the parking areas, is prohibited.
Weapons of any kind are not permitted on Zoo grounds.
Bicycles, skateboards, roller blades and rolling shoes (heelies) are not allowed in the Zoo.
A full-service ATM machine is located in the park, just inside the main entrance on your left. Brevard Zoo is handicapped accessible with wheelchair and stroller rentals.

Surrounding Area

Brevard Zoo is a half-day experience, probably an hour to see all of the exhibits and at least an hour to experience the Paws On children’s play area. Then the activities and animal demonstrations will require a few more hours. 

But why not explore the surrounding area as well.  Within 20 miles of the Zoo, there is Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne, Merritt Island, Palm Bay, Rockledge, Satellite Beach, West Melbourne, and Florida’s Space Coast. The Zoo is also only 30 miles from Sebastian and Titusville.

Special Events

For information on late night and special events, and extended opening hours on Saturday nights in summer, visit www.brevardzoo.org

We did this in July this year, and combined it with a trip to the KennedySpaceCenter.

We chose the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour, which runs in the evenings from June to October. During these warm summer months, when it gets dark, the waters of the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon are lit up with a naturally occurring bioluminescence. Any movement in the water produces an eerie light, and as you paddle you will leave a stream of illuminated bubbles in your wake.

We arrived in the evening an hour dark, at the Haulover Canal Launch on MerritIsland, near Titusville. After some instruction, having been kitted out with life jackets and nightlights - and having signed the inevitable waiver - we set off, two to a kayak. There were around half a dozen kayaks to the group, with three guides.

We immediately spotted manatees, who came to investigate us and swim around for a while. As we paddled up the Indian River we saw dolphins, more manatees, and racoons on the bank of the river. There was, of course, also the usual plethora of birdlife.

As darkness arrived, the bioluminescence burst into life. In Mosquito Lagoon, we paddled through a school of mullet which leapt out the water all round us, in a bright bluey-green glow. Quite amazing!

There was a slightly unnerving incident when one of the kayaks –not ours I’m happy to say) was hit by a large animal underwater. The couple in the boat were certain that it was a very large alligator. Happily we all got back to land safely.

The trip lasts two and a half hours and cost us $32 each. - well worth it for a bit of real-life excitement and wildlife watching.

Words of warning: you may just have spotted that the trip took place partly in Mosquito Lagoon. It doesn’t get that name for nothing, and it is important that you dress appropriately and take plenty of repellent. You will also get wet, so make sure you have a change of clothing with you.

“A Day Away” provide other kayaking tours, as do various other companies. Why not give it a go? You won’t regret it..