Zoological Wildlife Foundation
Zoological Wildlife Foundation
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
About
ZWF Miami is the only zoo in South Florida with as many animal encounters. At our facility, we have more than 40 exotic species, many of which are available for interactive activities with visitors. The five acre zoo houses everything from domestic animals and primates to large predatory birds and mammals. Some of our popular selection of exotic zoo animals are Lions, Tigers, Ligers, Chimpanzee, Gibbons, Otters, Sloths, Lemurs, Owls, Snakes, Tamandua, Black Jaguar, and mischievous Capuchin monkeys. The Zoological Wildlife Foundation offers intimate tours and private encounters by appointment. Contact us to schedule a special tour with our exotic animals! It's an experience you will never forget!
Miami, Florida
Does not meet animal welfare
guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,128 reviews
Excellent
1,826
Very good
147
Average
78
Poor
34
Terrible
43
T_H
Boston, MA5 contributions
Jan 2020
An incredible experience for anyone who loves animals. I came to Miami from Boston specifically to visit the zoological wildlife foundation, and it was worth it. I purchased the special wildlife experience for myself (old man) and two young adults (18 and 24). All of us agreed the highlights were getting to touch and interact with wild cats (a baby Jaguar named Jasper sat in my lap and played with a toy), lemurs, and gibbons - although all of the animals (too numerous to list) were great as well. Even in cases where you can’t actually touch the animals (adult lions and tigers) you are still getting a much closer look than you do at a traditional zoo.
The staff are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Our guide was great, her passion for animals was obvious, and she was very knowledgeable. One really cool aspect, that you definitely don’t get at a traditional zoo, is the intimacy of the experience. The park only offers guided experiences, so it is not crowded, you feel like you are getting a very special private tour (you are!). I couldn’t tell you how many other visitors were there, but it couldn’t have been more than a handful. The staff coordinate to make you feel like you have the place to yourself. Our tour lasted about three hours, it was the perfect amount, and we never felt rushed from one interaction to the next. Although the description says you only get ~5 minutes with the animals, there was no clock watching by the guide, the interactions with animals never felt hurried.
A few thoughts on how to make your visit the best possible.
1. You are interacting with wild animals, not house cats, if you act like a spaz and spook them that is your fault - if you startle the big cat cubs and they get scared there really isn’t much your guide can do in the time that you have to calm the animal back down. I doubt that most young children have maturity to not spook the animals and I personally wouldn’t recommend this park for large families or young (under 12) kids. This an incredibly intimate encounter with wild animals, and requires the guests to be calm and deliberate for maximum enjoyment.
2. We went early in the day, and the weather was nice (mid 70s). I imagine that in the middle of the summer the animals might not be quite as active.
3. This facility is not a traditional zoo, don’t expect costumed mascots or ‘artificial’ scenery. The facility is clean and in good condition, but you are visiting these animals in their homes, functionality takes priority over aesthetics.
The staff are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Our guide was great, her passion for animals was obvious, and she was very knowledgeable. One really cool aspect, that you definitely don’t get at a traditional zoo, is the intimacy of the experience. The park only offers guided experiences, so it is not crowded, you feel like you are getting a very special private tour (you are!). I couldn’t tell you how many other visitors were there, but it couldn’t have been more than a handful. The staff coordinate to make you feel like you have the place to yourself. Our tour lasted about three hours, it was the perfect amount, and we never felt rushed from one interaction to the next. Although the description says you only get ~5 minutes with the animals, there was no clock watching by the guide, the interactions with animals never felt hurried.
A few thoughts on how to make your visit the best possible.
1. You are interacting with wild animals, not house cats, if you act like a spaz and spook them that is your fault - if you startle the big cat cubs and they get scared there really isn’t much your guide can do in the time that you have to calm the animal back down. I doubt that most young children have maturity to not spook the animals and I personally wouldn’t recommend this park for large families or young (under 12) kids. This an incredibly intimate encounter with wild animals, and requires the guests to be calm and deliberate for maximum enjoyment.
2. We went early in the day, and the weather was nice (mid 70s). I imagine that in the middle of the summer the animals might not be quite as active.
3. This facility is not a traditional zoo, don’t expect costumed mascots or ‘artificial’ scenery. The facility is clean and in good condition, but you are visiting these animals in their homes, functionality takes priority over aesthetics.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jon F
San Dimas, CA2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
I got to do the animal encounter experience which was 2 hours long; 1 hour tour of the zoo and 1 hour of play time with the animals. Our tour guide was awesome and was really in detail on everything we saw. Now, generally I’m not a big fan of zoos because I am huge big cat lover and hate seeing them in limited space, but given that our guide said the cats either had been rescued from poachers or have been domesticated (hope that’s true) I understand they have a good life there. The best part about my experience though was not the tour but the animal encounter. I only expected to see some monkeys up close and maybe get to pet them in the arms of the care takers, but WOW we got to let them run up to us and hold them, and there was at least 10 different animals we got to touch and meet up close. Incredible experience that honestly a lot of people won’t be able to do in their lifetimes. I have to say doing the animal encounter experience is 1000000% worth it, they go alllll out. Be prepared to get pooped on though.
Finally, I’ve been following Limbani since he was born, and part of coming to Miami was meet him, but it was too expensive for me to do the encounter with him so I thought maybe I could see him from afar instead. Well they brought him out as the final guest animal and my life was made!!! He was so incredible, my obsession with chimpanzees grew so much when I met him, and for the first time ever I got to see one up close. He’s adorable and like a little kid, and the staff was so kind and awesome for letting him give me a high five at the end! So yes this place is a must do, for any animal lover. Thanks Zoological!
Finally, I’ve been following Limbani since he was born, and part of coming to Miami was meet him, but it was too expensive for me to do the encounter with him so I thought maybe I could see him from afar instead. Well they brought him out as the final guest animal and my life was made!!! He was so incredible, my obsession with chimpanzees grew so much when I met him, and for the first time ever I got to see one up close. He’s adorable and like a little kid, and the staff was so kind and awesome for letting him give me a high five at the end! So yes this place is a must do, for any animal lover. Thanks Zoological!
Written March 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Zachery
3 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
We paid for a one hour tour and spent almost a full two hours learning about and engaging with the animals. Our guide was great. She had worked there about 3 years and was knowledgeable about all of the animals and their unique stories and personalities. At the end of the tour, you get to hold baby alligators, blue younger skinks, boas and pythons and pet an owl. We also paid for additional time with a monkey and a baby kangaroo. They were worth every penny. It’s a once in a lifetime engagement. The pictures we got especially with the monkey were priceless. I would highly recommend this private zoo experience. I would also recommend going in the evening when the animals are more active.
Written April 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracya812
1 contribution
Dec 2019 • Family
The place is well kept and the animals seem to be well taken care of. I read great reviews and have heard other personal great reviews from friends so I wanted to see for myself. I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting a more personal experience for the amount of money.
On the general wildlife tour there were about 23 people. I feel it should be no more than 10-15 so you can hear the guide and actually get close enough to see the animal they're speaking about. Granted it was Christmas week and school was out but they only accept reservations so this can be controlled.
After the tour we had the lion encounter. They don't really communicate too well so we just sat back at the entrance waiting to be called. Quite a bit of waiting time. For an hour tour and 5 minute encounter we were there from 10:30 (arriving 30 minutes early as requested) until 2:30. So 4 hours and most of it was sitting waiting. You can't tour the facility and look at animals while you wait.
The lion cub encounter for my daughter and I again was not at all what I was expecting. Many others I've heard from had this experience in a room being on the floor with the lions. We were outside with the lion on a leash. The guide brought out his favorite toy so he was completely distracted the whole time. I understand it's a wild animal and they aren't trained and have their own personality but for the amount you pay the guides should try to engage the animals or if they aren't in the mood then pair you with a different one. (There was another baby cub on site)
It was nice for something different and maybe it was just the day we went was unlucky but when you're spending that much money you hope for more consistency.
On the general wildlife tour there were about 23 people. I feel it should be no more than 10-15 so you can hear the guide and actually get close enough to see the animal they're speaking about. Granted it was Christmas week and school was out but they only accept reservations so this can be controlled.
After the tour we had the lion encounter. They don't really communicate too well so we just sat back at the entrance waiting to be called. Quite a bit of waiting time. For an hour tour and 5 minute encounter we were there from 10:30 (arriving 30 minutes early as requested) until 2:30. So 4 hours and most of it was sitting waiting. You can't tour the facility and look at animals while you wait.
The lion cub encounter for my daughter and I again was not at all what I was expecting. Many others I've heard from had this experience in a room being on the floor with the lions. We were outside with the lion on a leash. The guide brought out his favorite toy so he was completely distracted the whole time. I understand it's a wild animal and they aren't trained and have their own personality but for the amount you pay the guides should try to engage the animals or if they aren't in the mood then pair you with a different one. (There was another baby cub on site)
It was nice for something different and maybe it was just the day we went was unlucky but when you're spending that much money you hope for more consistency.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We apologize that you did not receive the experience that you had expected.
Our tours can range up to 25 people depending on the date. Since it was holiday season our customer volume was higher than normal making our tour group size slightly larger but not over capacity.
The lion cub that you met on December 30th was approximately 4 months old, reaching the end of his encounter age. Once our cubs reach a certain age we stop doing encounters indoors and transition them to outdoor encounters as that is more natural for them. They must be harnessed due to their size for the safety of our guests and the animal as well.
Please keep in mind that the outcome of each and every encounter will vary depending on the temperament of the cub, their weight and their age as stated on our website.
We do not force them to do anything they don’t want to do.
Again we apologize about your recent experience.
However, we do hope that you come back in the future.
Written January 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Susan F
7 contributions
May 2021 • Family
The young people working there were not very helpful or friendly with the exception of our tour guide. My mother is disabled and when we asked if there was a handicap parking space they directed us to park anywhere outside the facility and walk in. Upon walking up the the check in building we noticed a handicap parking space right next to it. When we got to the building no one greeted us outside so we walked up to the glass door of the office to check in and were told to please wait outside and someone would be with us. Came off kind of rude especially since there were three girls in there just chatting it up and clearly having a ball in there. Once someone came out and checked us in we were told to stay there and wait for the guide to start. We were not allowed to view the animals or walk up the cages on our own or we would be removed from the property. I overheard another visitor who had paid for an experience online for two adults and two children. One child was not old enough so she could not participate. They gave her a $125 “credit” as they have a strict “no refund” policy. Clearly these people had been able to buy a childrens ticket online AND they were out of town. Seems like an accommodation could have been made there. Once the tour started, the guide was very nice and knowledgeable but the experience was basically a guided tour at the zoo. The animals were beautiful but nothing special here. As they walked us around the tour guide gave us a little info about each group of animals. At one point we walked up to a completely empty enclosure and she talked about whatever animal is “usually” in there. At the end - our animal encounters were a bearded dragon, a boa and a baby alligator. Once they started bringing out the birds (basically parrots) we left. Kind of felt like I could have these same “encounters” at my local pet store. Not impressive for the money.
Written June 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karen P
1 contribution
Feb 2021 • Family
We reserved a two hour tour for my daughter's 15th birthday. It was suppose to be a very special day,however, we were two hours away from the facility and even though we left early in order to make it on time, there were two accidents on our way that delayed us significantly. I called and spoke to a rep at the office and explained the situation ( which was completely out of our control) and she was very firm in stating that the rules say that if we are late than unfortunately we would miss part of tour because they would start without us. I thought ok, that's fine but can we at least revist what we missed by ourselves with no tour? They said no. Upon arriving they also went ahead an charged us an extra $15 for being late, even though we missed part of the tour and they weren't taking extra time to show us the part that we missed, nor were we taking their time to see it ourselves. There's no room for anything to happen and they are not accommodating or flexible at all. Also, the animals that we saw were mostly reptiles which I could have seen at our local zoo. We only got to pet one monkey. It was honestly extremely disappointing considering the amount of money you pay for these tours. You can't even stay an extra five minutes after your tour. They come and show you the way out so you can't be on the grounds a second longer than your tour time. I would definitely not go again. You can tell they're all about the money. I would much rather go to our local zoo where you pay 10 times less and you can stay around and walk the grounds for as long as we want. Just be ware that after you pay there's no room for life to happen or you will be out your money.
Written February 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for not only taking the time to visit us here at ZWF, but to write this review as well. I would like to begin by apologizing for your negative experience. Our tours do have to remain on schedule as we usually have other tours that follow so we must be mindful of our start and end times so that each guest may get the full experience that they purchased. We do offer the ability to reschedule a reservation up to 4 times without incurring any fees or to receive a non-expiring certificate to be used at your convenience with only a 24-48 hour notice. We also escort guest to our gate after their experience is complete due to supervision being a requirement while on our property. Supervision is required due to the close proximity of our enclosures so that we can ensure our guests safety as well as our animals safety. We do hope you visit us and give us the opportunity to give you the amazing experience ZWF aims to provide.
Written July 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CECILIA E
2 contributions
Feb 2021
The actual experience was GREAT and highly recommended.
However their no-refund policy was quite disappointing. The lady whom I purchased the tickets from (over the phone) spoke VERY fast and was hard to understand. I had opened the call stating that I need 4 tickets = 2 adults + 2 children. She then gave me some generic purchasing info and at some point apparently said "so 4 adults?" and I consented. She then proceeded to process the order and when I caught the discrepancy DURING the call and asked her to correct the amount because it was an honest mistake, she said that since I already agreed (and it was recorded on tape), they could not reimburse me the additional amount (which was not cheap: $181). That did not feel right and became very upsetting.
I was forced to go twice at that point, but luckily our tour guide, Amanda, was SO wonderful, that our perspective shifted and we will now be returning happily.
However their no-refund policy was quite disappointing. The lady whom I purchased the tickets from (over the phone) spoke VERY fast and was hard to understand. I had opened the call stating that I need 4 tickets = 2 adults + 2 children. She then gave me some generic purchasing info and at some point apparently said "so 4 adults?" and I consented. She then proceeded to process the order and when I caught the discrepancy DURING the call and asked her to correct the amount because it was an honest mistake, she said that since I already agreed (and it was recorded on tape), they could not reimburse me the additional amount (which was not cheap: $181). That did not feel right and became very upsetting.
I was forced to go twice at that point, but luckily our tour guide, Amanda, was SO wonderful, that our perspective shifted and we will now be returning happily.
Written February 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam F
1 contribution
Feb 2021
The guide rushed us through the first half of the tour, the actual zoo, and I didn't feel like we had the time we wanted to look at the animals that interested us. Then the second half was not a zoo, but an animal show where we got to touch a few animals. There was a lot of waiting around for them to bring the next animal, and when the animals were wild, the guides weren't proactive enough in pulling them off of our children.
Written February 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for not only taking the time to visit us here at ZWF, but to write this review as well. I want to apologize for you feeling rushed through your experience. Our tour guides are mindful of their start times and end times to ensure that each tour gets the full experience. We often have tours running constantly at our foundation and in order to give each guest an amazing tour we do have a timeframe that we must adhere to. All of the animals here at our foundation are wild, but also very well socialized. We work very closely with our animals on a daily basis so that they become accustomed to being handled and touched. Unfortunately, when working with a wild animals their behavior can be unpredictable. We do hope that you will visit us again and allow us the opportunity to provide you with the amazing adventure ZWF aims to provide.
Written July 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Michelle R
Miami, FL4 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
The general tour is fantastic. The zoo is well kept the animals look happy but the tiger encounter isn’t worth it. We had to do our encounter outside where in the past it’s been in a room. It was a rainy day and the location of the encounter wasn’t very nice. I understand that a tiger at 3 months is a big baby and sometimes it doesn’t want to play and he was missing his sister but I wasn’t able to get not one good picture. The handler was in all the pictures I took. When you pay $100 for 5 minutes the expectation is you have something to show for it.
Written October 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour with us here at ZWF. We are so thankful that you took the time to come out and visit and learn all that we have to offer. We also greatly appreciate you taking the time to write this review as well. This is how we can learn honest feedback from guests to help better us for future tours and encounters.
I am sorry to hear that you did not have the best encounter with one of our Tiger Cubs. We do our best to try and provide guest with the best encounter as possible. We apologize that you were unable to get the picture perfect moment with our cub that you were looking for. Unfortunately as you mentioned the 3 month old tiger baby is just that a baby. We do not have animals that are trained to pose for pictures or hold still. Our cubs live as natural of a life as we can possibly provide. Now the goal here at ZWF is the experience you get when you come visit. We offer once in a life time moments with exotics that most people will never have the opportunity to encounter. These experience are meant to educate the general public on the natural habitats, diets, and endangerments that these majestic animals must face on a daily basis. I do hope that the photo aside being face to face with a 3 month old baby tiger cub was a memory that will last you a life time.
Now, I do again understand not having the best photo of this moment can be disappointing, and I do apologize for that. However, the handler being present and hands on with the tiger cub is a must at all times. Even at the young age of 3 months old Tiger cubs have incredible nails and teeth. Our animal handlers train very hard every day working with these animals to ensure that when we have an encounter everyone involved stays safe. This includes the animals, the handlers and you the guest.
Again I do hope that the memory of spending time with a Tiger Cub has been a lastly one, and we do hope you would come back and visit again with us soon.
Written August 1, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Daja H
Detroit, MI5 contributions
Aug 2020
I actually caught the ZWF’S WILDLIFE PRESENTATION while it was on sale. Usually its $150 per person but instead due to the deal i paid $150 for two people which means it was only $75 each person. I recommend doing the wildlife presentation. You get the tour plus play time with these amazing animals. I loved every minute of it and i wish i could say more. I spent time with a snake, spider monkey, white cub, alligator, toad, scorpion,lemur, patriot, and a few more. They were accommodating and very very kind please tip the staff well they absolutely deserve it. I was informed and never once scared. I am actually thinking about applying to be a volunteer with them some day. I live in Michigan and this was the reason i visit Miami to do this experience. Well well well worth it. I got many pictures and videos everyone on social media is asking me where i went and how can they go. I will be posting my experience on youtube soon.
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour je souhaiterais prendre un billet pour être prise en photo avec un tigre ou un bébé tigre mais sur le site internet du zoological wildlife fondation je ne trouve pas la rubrique .
Est ce qu'il faut prendre le billet " féline expérience " ?
Ou autre je ne sais pas
Je dois prendre un billet " general wildlife expérience et un billet " féline expérience " pour prendre la photo avec un tigre ou un bébé tigre ?
Merci
Bonne journée
Written April 10, 2023
Hello, How many hands on experience do we get? Is it guaranteed?
Written July 30, 2021
Is it worth the 4 times the amount of the zoo for the hands on experience?
Written July 30, 2021
Is the location wheelchair accessible?
Written September 1, 2020
Bonjour je voudrais savoir le tarif pour deux adultes et un enfant de quatre ans. Je voudrais pouvoir prendre les animaux dans les bras et prendre des photos. Je voudrais connaître les tarifs pour ça. Merci
Written February 11, 2020
Our 2 Hour Tour Package met only Friday and Saturday at noon, we choice to attend on Friday when most people are working and kids are in school. Our group was small. We had ample time to interact with the animals and plenty of time for photo opportunities. Have fun!
Written November 25, 2019
I'm hardly seeing the lion, is it that the lion are not available because I'm mostly interested in the lion and I'm planning to go in Sept..
Written August 28, 2019
Call ahead to see availability. We went Friday and saw Nala their baby cub Lion up close.
Written October 20, 2019
Am I allowed to take picture beside the big lions? Or Do you allow us to only take picture with the young...
Written August 28, 2019
You only see the lions from way outside fences. No one is allowed contact.
Written August 29, 2019
Where do the lion and tigers cubs go after they are to old to play with?
Written August 24, 2019
I would guess in the enclosed areas with the other lions and tigers but I don’t know for sure.
Written August 25, 2019
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