Brevard Zoo Provides Update on Expedition Africa Makeover Project, Area Will Be Closed from Aug. 7-Sept. 25
By Space Coast Daily // July 14, 2023
new lion habitat will be four times the size of their current space
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard Zoo’s Expedition Africa loop features a winding boardwalk where you can spot animals like meerkats, ring-tailed lemurs, giraffe, zebra, impala, klipspringers and rhinos.
The Zoo announced this area is undergoing a massive makeover to make it even better – and feature their lion brothers! Due to this construction project, this area will be closed from August 7 to September 25.
Not only will the Zoo be building a brand-new expansive lion habitat, but we will also be expanding the boardwalk into an actual loop to give you lots of new viewing areas.
The construction crew plans to replace all of the existing decking in this section.
“We are excited to complete this major refresh of Expedition Africa as we work to complete the brand-new lion habitat that our three brothers, Chobe, Ruaha and Karoo, will soon inhabit,” said a Brevard Zoo spokesperson.
“Our lion brothers will remain in their public-facing Wild Florida habitat throughout construction.”
The new lion habitat will be four times the size of their current temporary space in Wild Florida. Visitors can also look forward to glass viewing at ground level to get an up-close view of these amazing big cats!
Their new space will also include raised platforms and a chilled water system to give the lions some cool spots to lay on hot Florida days.
Also in the plans is renovating what was the cheetah viewing area with an upper viewing spot as well as a lower training wall for VIP encounters in the future.
Rest assured that our Expedition Africa residents will continue to receive top-notch care during this closure. Whether they are in their regular habitat or behind-the-scenes habitat will depend on what construction is happening on any given day based on their comfort levels.
Now is the time to stop by and see your favorite animals in Africa! During the closure, we encourage you to come spend some time in our other loops getting to know those animals, too. If you haven’t met our fallow deer, Peach, in Wild Florida or our capuchins, Hummus, Sprout and Jelly, in Rainforest Revealed…now is the time! There is still a lot of the Zoo to explore, and we are excited to announce that some new animals and a temporary experience will be coming soon. Stay tuned for more details to come.
The Zoo hopes the entire renovation project will be complete in the first quarter of 2024 and that visitors be able to see their lion brothers exploring their new habitat at that time.
The Zoo’s visitors generous support enables us to continue to provide the best habitats for the animals in their care.
