All Stories

6/24/21

Gardening for Butterflies

How can anyone not love those lighter than air, colorful, fluttery little creatures? Butterflies are the passion of many gardeners and nature lovers alike. So, how do you attract them to your yard and keep them coming back? It’s all about the plants. Butterflies are very specific about the plants they are looking for when they are flitting through your garden. They like trumpet and tubular shaped, nectar-filled flowers which they drink from with their straw-like proboscis (mouthpart). T... Read More
at 6/24/21
AIYI Horticulture

6/24/21

Thumbs Up for Tigers

July 29th is World Tiger Day! You can find two species at our Zoo in Land of the Tiger: Malayan tigers and Sumatran tigers. Both species are listed as critically endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. World Tiger Day is a perfect day to celebrate the tigers here and bring awareness to the difficulties their wild populations face. The Zoo has one male and one female Malayan tiger. The Malayan tiger has only been considered as a species for 17 years. They were thought to be the same as I... Read More
at 6/24/21
AIYI

6/21/21

Honoring Jojo the Giraffe

Jojo was the first giraffe calf born on exhibit at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for the public to watch. She was known for being adventurous and brave with a sweet disposition. Years later while on exhibit, Jojo incurred a common foot injury. The injury led to a remarkable journey to try to get her foot to heal, and keepers had to build on their training methods to tend to her medical needs. The whole Zoo and outside groups came together to try to save her through multiple procedures. For mo... Read More
at 6/21/21
Animal Wellness

6/17/21

Prevent Manatee Mortalities

This past winter was a challenge for manatees wintering along the east coast of Florida. Hundreds of manatees died in this region and it was so significant that under the Marine Mammal Protection Act it was designated an unusual mortality event (UME), prompting an ongoing investigation and response. Preliminary data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) revealed that a reduction in food availability, mainly seagrass, appears to be the primary cause. Though the... Read More
at 6/17/21
Conservation Featured

6/7/21

Our Annual Visit from Nesting Wood Storks

The wood stork, Mycteria americana, the only stork native to North America, has been a recurring visitor at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens since the early 1990s. Visits from this species increased both in numbers and frequency since then. Wood storks are large, wading birds found throughout North and South America. This is the only species of stork that is native to North America and breeding rookeries can be found throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Wood storks are listed as threa... Read More
at 6/7/21
Conservation Featured