A historic botanical garden dating to 1919 is the setting for this zoo, which houses everything from alligators to zebras. Glass walls get visitors thrillingly close to leopards, giraffe, pumas, hyenas, ocelots, Malayan tigers, giant anteaters, capybara, Baird's tapir, cotton-top tamarins, endangered Eastern Bongo calves, and other South American species. A four-story high space between two historic lofty fig trees is home to critically endangered—and adorable—Bornean orangutans who arrived here in 2023. In addition to exhibits and the 43-acre tropical garden, the zoo offers a guided boat ride through islands of monkeys, lemurs, and apes. In the Safari Canyon theater shows, live animals, from free-flying hawks to porcupines, do natural behaviors highlighted by video clips and live cam close-ups. During the day, visitors watch professional handlers with venomous snakes, and see a handfeeding of giant reptiles in Alligator Bay. There is also a child’s play area, two cafes, and picnic facilities. Along with offering a day of family fun, this nonprofit organization participates in Species Survival Plans for the long-term survival of endangered species and supports regional and international conservation projects.