Florida’s tropical climate is just right for parks where you can get up close to exotic plants and animals, and one of the most successful of these parks is Jungle Island in Miami. Jungle Island is the home of 1,100 tropical birds, 2,000 varieties of plants and flowers, and one of the world’s most renowned trained bird shows.

It started with the dream of Austrian born Franz Scherr in the 1930s. Scherr began with a feed and supply store in Florida and had a few birds in his store. He found the birds friendly and easy to train and got the idea of opening an attraction where the birds would fly free.

Next, Scherr rented 20 acres of land, for the grand price of $25 per year, and started to develop the park. His friends and family thought that the birds would just fly away, but the birds remained and so did Scherr who built a nature trail and opened his park on December 20, 1936. On opening day, 100 visitors paid 25 cents for admission, and listened to Scherr as he described the birds, trees and flowers.

Today it costs a bit more than 25 cents to visit the park, but there is a lot more to see than in 1936. The park is now home to a large variety of birds, reptiles, mammals and fish, and Jungle Island also has its own private beach.

Jungle Island is known for its shows which feature some of the wildest animals from around the globe. Presented in the Pepsi Parrot Bowl the “Winged Wonders” show includes beautiful and playful birds as well as dangerous birds from all over the world. Over the years one of the stand-out performers has been Pinky, an iconic cockatoo who has been entertaining audiences for decades by riding his high-wire bicycle.

This year Jungle Island will be welcoming several new residents to its animal family. These include a family of prairie dogs, a baby camel, a baby zebra and a family of marmosets (the smallest primates in the world). Other new animal members joining Jungle Island are a baby warthog, an alligator snapping turtle, African Penguins, and baby Hamadryas baboons.

Over the years Jungle Island’s private beach, La Playa has similarly developed and today it offers a wide range of possibilities for the whole family including water slides, contests and many more activities.

If all of this sounds interesting then visit Jungle Island while you are in or near the Miami area. Here are some of the vital facts you need to know: The park is open Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. -6 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Special shows and events may extend Jungle Island’s hours. Upon arrival, ask at the Ticket Booth or Guest Relations for any special event or show information. Jungle Island hours are subject to change without notice. In addition, severe inclement weather may affect Jungle Island’s hours.

Jungle Island is located in the heart of Miami, off of I-395 between Downtown Miami and South Beach. The address is: Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, Florida 33132 Telephone-305.400.7000 | Fax-305.400.7291

Author Bio: Janice McSherry writes frequently about Florida tourism. She is the proprietor of www.floridavacationsvillas.com . Visit her website for great deals on Florida Vacation Villas

Category: Travel
Keywords: Jungle Island, Florida, Miami, parrots, bird sanctuary, Miami attractions