The Central Florida Zoo was first established (and named Sanford Zoo) in 1923, when a rhesus monkey was given to the Sanford Elks Club by a traveling circus. It soon received a few more animals, another monkey, a bulldog, a skunk, an opossum, a racoon and a squirrel. In the 1940s, the zoo was relocated to the site currently occupied by the Sanford City Hall and moved to its present home on Lake Monroe on July 4, 1975.
Feed giraffes, pet barnyard animals and meet PJ the Greater one-horned rhino at the Central Florida Zoo.
In 2007, it announced its botanical garden status and was officially named the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
It wasn’t until 2013 that giraffes first became part of the animal collection at the zoo. During your visit you’ll have the opportunity to meet and feed Rafiki or Gage, every day from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and it’s only $6 per person. If you’ve never had the chance to feed a giraffe before, you’ll be thrilled how gingerly they reach down to take a piece of lettuce from your hand and will be smitten by their long eyelashes and beautiful coat.
Another must is the Rhinoceros Encounter, which features PJ the Greater one-horned rhino. Today, Greater one-horned rhinos are native to northern India and southern Nepal, but rhinos once roamed North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Today, only 27,000 rhinos of five species exist, with 4,000 of those being Greater one-horned rhinos. So, needless to say, this is a very special experience.
Guests can meet, touch, take photos with and learn about PJ from the zoo’s animal trainers. This experience can be purchased online or in person at the zoo’s admissions window after 9 a.m. on the day of the encounter (Fridays-Mondays). Tickets are $30.
For the young—or young at heart, adorable farm animals can be found inside the Barnyard Buddies Petting Zoo. Pet and feed an alpaca, llama, chickens, goats and Harlequin sheep. Feedings are twice daily, at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., and cost $4 per feed portion. centralfloridazoo.org
