Gulf Breeze Zoo

History

The zoo started on an acre of land on Burgess Road and later on a larger tract in Cantonment, Florida. It was established in its current location in 1984 by four local businessmen. Pat Quinn, one of the founders, became its first director. The zoo began with about 60 animals on 19 acres of land.

In 2004, unable to make a profit, the founders handed over ownership to the nonprofit Gulf Coast Zoological Society.

In 2004 and 2005, hurricanes Ivan and Dennis struck the area with devastating effect to the Zoo. On August 20, 2009, county officials announced that the closure of the zoo would be permanent.

In December 2009, the zoo was purchased and rescued by a team of zoological professionals from Virginia Safari Park of Natural Bridge, Virginia.

On January 20, 2018, the first baby white rhino was born at Gulf Breeze Zoo. She was the first ever rhino calf to be born in its 34-year history.

In 2018, the zoo, which at that time was about 50 acres, purchased 35 acres of additional land on the west side of the current site on U.S. 98.

In February 2019, a family of six orangutans arrived at the zoo from a conservation center in Connecticut.

Exhibits

The Gulf Breeze Zoo is divided into 20 acres of walking exhibits and a 30 acres free roaming preserve area that guests take a guided train ride through. The walking portion includes many animals including American black bears, lions, tigers, clouded leopards, red kangaroo, Galapagos tortoises, and a large variety of exotic birds such as American flamingos, Indian peafowl, owls, macaws, king vultures, laughing kookaburra, ostriches and toucans. The Zoo has several interactive feeding areas including a large petting area, a giraffe feeding area, and a walk-through budgerigar enclosure. Other highlighted exhibits throughout the park include warthogs, Asian small-clawed otters, American alligators, and dromedary camels. Primate exhibits include ring-tailed lemurs, lar gibbons, siamangs, Schmidt's guenon, golden-headed lion tamarins, black-headed spider monkeys, western lowland gorillas, and Bornean orangutans. Activities include feeding some animals including giraffes, goats, highland cattle and alligators, as well as a free-flight Australian parakeet aviary.

Another unique area of the walking portion of the Zoo includes a large raised boardwalk that allows visitors to see herds of various hoofstock, capybara, pygmy hippos and orangutans.

A C.P. Huntington locomotive train takes visitors on a 20-minute guided tour, where they can see axis deer, blackbuck, blue wildebeest, greater kudu, sable antelope, Thomson's gazelle, an Indian rhino, and white rhinos roaming on 30 acres and get a close view of the gorillas and hippos.

The Gulf Breeze Zoo supports captive breeding, wildlife conservation, and habitat preservation programs.

References

References

1. Leavenworth, Christina. (February 18, 2010). "Former Northwest Florida Zoo reopens". [[WALA-TV.
2. (October 9, 2018). "Hurricane Michael puts Gulf Breeze Zoo on alert". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
3. Diaz, Julio. (July 22, 2017). "What to do when there's 'nothing' to do in Pensacola". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
4. Isern, Will. (July 18, 2015). "Gulf Breeze Zoo faces challenges, uncertain future". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
5. (August 20, 2009). "Zoo Northwest Florida closes for good".
6. Newby, Jake. (May 17, 2018). "Baby white rhino, Katana, is first ever born at Gulf Breeze Zoo". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
7. Delaney, Anne. (August 31, 2018). "Gulf Breeze Zoo welcomes two new babies — Gus the giraffe and Lexington the camel". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
8. Newby, Jake. (February 26, 2019). "Gulf Breeze Zoo welcomes family of orangutans from Connecticut conservation center". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
9. Delaney, Anne. (September 7, 2018). "Gulf Breeze's Shoreline Park South trails to be expanded, renovated". [[Pensacola News Journal]].
10. Jackson, Tyra. (June 3, 2018). "ZooWorld works with other zoos to find best pairs". [[The News Herald (Panama City).