Tales of Old Florida: Crandon Park and Zoo Miami.
Once upon a time, long ago in Miami's past, a rich family decided to donate land on Key Biscayne in order to secure the construction of a bridge that would ultimately increase the property values of their other properties on said key. Whether you believe the donation was philanthropic or not, we know for a fact that in 1940, the heirs of Commodore William John Matheson donated 808.8 acres of their holdings on Key Biscayne to Dade County. This donation came with a condition- that the land be used as a public park.
In exchange for that donation, the chairman of the County Commission Charles H. Crandon offered to build a causeway that would connect Key Biscayne to the mainland. This agreement came to fruition on November 9, 1947 when the Rickenbacker¹ causeway opened, allowing automobile access to Virginia Key, Crandon Park and the rest of Key Biscayne.
One year later in 1948, a traveling animal show broke down or (most likely) became defunct when it visited the County. It was the late 40s. It was Florida, and the show's misfortune became Dade County's first zoo, Crandon Park Zoo.
That zoo was by all accounts a success and an accident waiting to happen. A success, because they got enough visitors that they were able to keep expanding the zoo. An accident waiting to happen because they put a zoo on a key prone to flooding, and first in line for any hurricanes to make landfall in the area.
As time went on and the zoo expanded, its dated concrete enclosures and bars did it no favors in the court of public opinion. The push for more natural, humane habitats in zoos had started at the beginning of the 60s, and Crandon Park Zoo was anything but natural. After taking a direct hit from Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the zoo's days on Key Biscayne were numbered. The deaths of 250 animals as a result of Betsy's floodwaters, combined with accusations of abuse at the zoo ultimately led to the county's decision to relocate the zoo further inland. By 1981, Miami Metro Zoo opened, and Crandon Park Zoo shuttered.
The original space eventually morphed into a park with botanical gardens, a nature center, marina, golf course, and tennis center. There are still to this day remnants of the old zoo on site that have been incorporated into the park proper. Additionally, Crandon Park has numerous Tequesta Indian ruins, and they are part of the Key Biscayne Archaeological Zone.
When it opened Metro Zoo was a far cry from the original zoo located on Key Biscayne. It was one of the first free-range zoos in the country, where animals could roam freely. Its location also makes it the only subtropical zoo in the United States. Even though it is further inland, the zoo is still susceptible to damage from hurricanes (most notably Hurricane Andrew, which did extensive damage to the Wings of Asia exhibit in 1992). That hurricane is also the source of Metro Zoo's most famous photo:
Today the zoo occupies almost 750 acres,and is home to more than 3000 animals representing over 500 different species.² On July 3, 2010 as part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration, its name officially changed from Metro Zoo to Zoo Miami.
As time went on and the zoo expanded, its dated concrete enclosures and bars did it no favors in the court of public opinion. The push for more natural, humane habitats in zoos had started at the beginning of the 60s, and Crandon Park Zoo was anything but natural. After taking a direct hit from Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the zoo's days on Key Biscayne were numbered. The deaths of 250 animals as a result of Betsy's floodwaters, combined with accusations of abuse at the zoo ultimately led to the county's decision to relocate the zoo further inland. By 1981, Miami Metro Zoo opened, and Crandon Park Zoo shuttered.
The original space eventually morphed into a park with botanical gardens, a nature center, marina, golf course, and tennis center. There are still to this day remnants of the old zoo on site that have been incorporated into the park proper. Additionally, Crandon Park has numerous Tequesta Indian ruins, and they are part of the Key Biscayne Archaeological Zone.
When it opened Metro Zoo was a far cry from the original zoo located on Key Biscayne. It was one of the first free-range zoos in the country, where animals could roam freely. Its location also makes it the only subtropical zoo in the United States. Even though it is further inland, the zoo is still susceptible to damage from hurricanes (most notably Hurricane Andrew, which did extensive damage to the Wings of Asia exhibit in 1992). That hurricane is also the source of Metro Zoo's most famous photo:
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| Metro Zoo flamingos hiding out during Hurricane Andrew. Photo: Copyright Ron Magill. |
Today the zoo occupies almost 750 acres,and is home to more than 3000 animals representing over 500 different species.² On July 3, 2010 as part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration, its name officially changed from Metro Zoo to Zoo Miami.
With updates to the entrance and new exhibits, the zoo has only improved over time. I am probably a bit biased, as this is the zoo I went to many times as a child growing up in South Florida. Whenever we've been back for home leave, I have made sure to take the kids. I love it more than any other zoo I have seen overseas (and to be fair, short of the zoo in Berlin most of the ones I have seen overseas have been sad affairs). I love it even more than the Smithsonian National Zoo, even though that zoo has adorable pandas. Pandas can't beat a giant submerged clear tube your kids can crawl through while an american alligator lazily eyes them from its perch ON TOP OF THE TUBE.
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| Top that, Smithsonian! |
The zoo has three miles of path that meander through the exhibits, letting you see the animals in their habitats. A good part of the path has shade trees, but in the sections with less shade there are misting stations and covered gazebos to get relief from the sun.
If you go:
Zoo Miami
Hours of Operation: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Admission: Adults (13+) $22.95, Kids (3-12) $18.95, Kids 2 and under are free. Free parking. A zoo membership (which covers 2 adults and up to 4 children) for the year is $169. The zoo membership is the best deal if you plan on going multiple times and/or you have a family of four or more.
Address: 12400 SW 152 St. Miami, Fl 33177
Website: https://www.zoomiami.org/
Crandon Park
Hours of Operation: Sunrise - Sunset
Admission: Free. Parking fees are weekdays $5, and weekends $7.
Address: 6747 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, Fl
Website: http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/crandon.asp
¹If the name Rickenbacker sounds familiar, it is because the bridge was named after Eddie Rickenbacker, a WWI flying Ace and founder/president of Eastern Air Lines.
²https://www.zoomiami.org/about-the-zoo
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