Tampa, Florida, is home to several great spots where you can get up close and personal with not only native wildlife, but also animals from around the world. Spend the day mesmerized by the beauty of magnificent creatures at one of these top places to see animals in Tampa.
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The Florida Aquarium
Home to more than 14,000 animals, The Florida Aquarium is the perfect spot to explore the underwater world and amazing sea life. Get up close to both aquatic and terrestrial animals, and learn about their incredible ecosystems. Take a walk through the Florida Wetlands Trails to see otters playing, birds flying around freely, and alligators lounging around. The Moon Bay Exhibit includes a 2,000-gallon habitat where you can touch jellyfish and watch them gracefully drift through the water.
Marvel at the beauty of the Green Sea turtle and lionfish at the Coral Reef exhibit, where you’ll also find sand tiger sharks, porcupinefish, and moray eels. Kids will get a kick out of touching and learning about some of the more unusual sea creatures in the No Bones Zone. This exhibit includes sea urchins, anemones, sea stars, and sea cucumbers.
The Florida Aquarium is located at 701 Channelside Drive. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Lowry Park Zoo
Interact with numerous amazing animals from around the world at Lowery Park Zoo. The zoo encompasses 56 acres, and includes naturalistic settings and wildlife habitats that are home to more than 1,300 animals. Hop aboard the Expedition Africa safari tram to see giraffes, Maribou storks, elephants, and pygmy hippos. Enjoy close encounters with the Aldabra tortoise and go backstage at the white rhino encounter. Take a stroll along the Florida Boardwalk and Manatee Mangrove to see a variety of exotic animals that are rare or threatened with extinction, such as the Florida panther, manatees, and black bears.
Have a seat and watch the Birds of Prey show, where you’ll watch birds soar overhead and learn more about them. Head over to the Asia exhibit to see Clouded leopards, Indian rhinos, Malayan tapirs, and warty pigs at play in their own areas. You can even feed Lorikeet in the aviary.
Lowry Park Zoo is located at 1101 W. Sligh Ave. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Big Cat Rescue
Big Cat Rescue is a sanctuary for rescued cats, both big and small. With more than 60 wild cats in their care, they continue the fight to provide freedom to exotic cats. The sanctuary is open to the public; you can take a walk through the habitats to see large cats, such as jaguars, leopards, lions, and tigers. Additionally, a section for smaller cats is open for you to see bobcats, a Canada lynx, caracals, cougars, ocelots, Savannah cats, and servals.
Big cat Rescue is located at 12802 Easy St. It is open Friday to Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Whether you’re an animal lover or not, you’ll be in awe of the natural beauty of the animals at these great places in Tampa.
Image via Pixabay.com
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