Jungle Island, Zoological park on Watson Island, Miami, United States
Jungle Island is a zoological park on Watson Island in Miami, covering 18 acres (7.3 ha). Its landmark is the sail-covered Jungle Theater, an arena for wildlife shows. Near it lives Hercules, a 900-pound liger. The park holds 3,000 animals, among them 1,000 parrot varieties, and includes a Serpentarium named after Bill Haast's Miami Serpentarium.
Parrot Jungle was founded in 1936 by Francis "Franz" and Louise Scherr, who leased 20 acres of hammock land for $25 and dug a winding trail through the coral rock, leaving the native plants undisturbed. It opened on December 20, 1936, charging 25 cents. Bern Levine bought the park in 1988; Pinecrest bought the original site in 2002, and the attraction reopened on Watson Island on June 28, 2003 as Parrot Jungle Island, taking the name Jungle Island in 2007.
The name recalls the original focus on tropical birds, while today many residents come from South America, Asia and Africa in naturalistic settings. Guided demonstrations show how animals communicate with each other and respond to signals from trainers.
The entrance sits directly on the main road connecting Miami Beach to the mainland, with parking nearby. Shade is available under trees and covered areas, so visits work well even on hot days.
Some areas allow direct encounters with animals like lemurs that move freely among visitors. At certain stations you can experience sloths, wallabies and large tortoises up close under supervision.
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