JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – TripAdvisor has named the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens as one of the top 25 zoos in the United States. The ranking is based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for zoos and aquariums worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.
"The staff and board of the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens have been working so hard and so long to make our zoo a place the entire community can love and take pride in," said Tony Vecchio, executive director of zoo.
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"This level of recognition, to be considered one of the best zoos in the country, really shows that our efforts have paid off," said Vecchio.
Now in it's 101st year, the Jacksonville Zoo has catapulted itself in the national spotlight with award-winning and innovative exhibits like Range of the Jaguar and Land of the Tiger.
Not only does the zoo focus on animal care and well being, but the zoo has also gained significant recognition for the outstanding botanic gardens entwined throughout the animal exhibits and the rest of the zoo. All this wouldn't have been possible without the zoo's dedicated staff and the supportive Jacksonville community
Starting in 1914 with an animal collection of one red deer fawn, the zoo now has more than 2,400 rare and exotic animals and 1,000 species of plants, boasting the largest botanical garden in Northeast Florida. The Jacksonville Zoo is a nonprofit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.