Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre, Garden and zoo in Nassau, Bahamas

Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre is a garden and zoo in Nassau, New Providence, opened in 1937 by the Jamaican horticulturist Hedley Vivian Edwards. Its name comes from the Latin Ardua astrum, meaning "striving for the stars". The grounds hold about 200 animals, and flamingos are the best-known residents.

Hedley Vivian Edwards, a Jamaican horticulturist, opened the gardens in 1937 and named them from the Latin Ardua astrum, "striving for the stars". In the 1950s the Bahamian government brought flamingos here to breed, as the birds had become rare on the islands. In 1982 the Bahamian Norman Solomon bought the gardens and started the country's first zoo.

The flamingos here perform a coordinated march each day that visitors can watch up close. These birds are the national symbol of the Bahamas and carry a strong connection to how people on the islands see their own natural world.

Visitors can hand-feed tortoises and get close to colorful lory parrots at different points on the grounds. Wearing comfortable shoes is a good idea since the visit is done on foot, and bringing water helps in the tropical heat.

The site is home to three Bahamian boa constrictors, one of the rarest snake species in the region. These reptiles are the focus of education programs that show visitors just how close to disappearing they are in the wild.