News
Central Florida Zoo’s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation releases 17 eastern indigo snakes in Conecuh National Forest
ANDALUSIA, Ala. (May 12, 2023) — There’s a new ruler of the Conecuh National Forest in Alabama—17 of them, to be exact. The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens’ Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) today reintroduced its latest cohort of nonvenomous apex predator eastern indigo snakes. This brings to total of the threatened...
The doctor will see you now: How a specialist and our animal team helped solve PJ’s eye issue
If you’ve ever had an eyelash in your eye that just won’t come out, you know how annoying and even painful eye issues can be. Now imagine you have an infection that affects much of your cornea…and you’re a two-ton rhino who can’t do anything to fix it. That’s the situation our beloved one-horned rhinoceros, […]
Sunset at the Zoo returns this summer
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens aims to create connections that inspire people to take action for wildlife. This summer, the Sanford favorite is doing just that while also forging connections with different cultures in our communities. The Zoo is bringing back its popular all-ages summer event, Sunset at the Zoo, which allows...
19 Eastern Indigo Snakes Find a New Home in Their Natural Habitat
After years of hard work, a group of partners led by The Nature Conservancy, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens’ Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) have released 19 young eastern indigo snakes into the wild. This marks the seventh year in a row that...
Conservation expert Dr. Laurie Marker visits the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens for a “Cheetah Chat”
On Monday, April 17, the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens had a truly remarkable opportunity. We hosted Dr. Laurie Marker, Founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. An expert in her field, she has been working closely with the breeding and reintroduction of cheetahs for nearly 50 years, including building the...
Central Florida Zoo to debut early access hours for those with sensory needs
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is throwing a Party for the Planet this Earth Day—and it’s going to be more accessible than ever. The Zoo will host a special conservation day—the Party for the Planet—in celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, which will include interactive activities, special enrichment for the animals...
