Big things are coming soon to this area!

Editor’s note: As of April 27, 2023, Expedition Africa will remain open this May instead of closing for the renovations listed below. Due to construction supply delays, the renovations will be postponed to later this year. We will send updates with more information once the schedule is finalized. We’ll still be moving forward with renovating our red ruffed lemur habitat at the Giraffe platform, but you’ll still be able to enjoy the rest of the loop along with giraffe feeding, rhino encounters and kayak tours. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to work to improve your Zoo!

Our Expedition Africa loop features a winding boardwalk where you can spot animals like meerkats, ring-tailed lemurs, giraffe, zebra, impala, klipspringers and rhinos. This area is undergoing a massive makeover to make it even better – and feature our lion brothers! Due to this construction project, the majority of the area will be closed in May 2023. Our lion brothers will remain in their public-facing Wild Florida habitat throughout construction. There will be a few other closures (some partial) of Expedition Africa later in the year for construction, but we will give you another heads up beforehand. We just wanted to let you know and give you the inside scoop of what is coming!

Not only will we 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. Our 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.

The new lion habitat will be four times the size of their current temporary space in Wild Florida. You 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 our cheetah viewing area with an upper viewing spot as well as a lower training wall for VIP encounters in the future.

In order to complete all of these incredible things, we will be closing the majority of Expedition Africa from May 1 through May 31. During this time, you will still be able to spot our meerkat mob, check out Burmese pythons and kayak through Expedition Africa. Please note that giraffe feeding and rhino encounters will not be available during May.

During the more extensive closures, rest assured that our Expedition Africa residents will continue to receive top-notch care. 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.

We hope the entire renovation project will be complete in the first quarter of 2024 and that you’ll be able to see our lion brothers exploring their new habitat at that time! We appreciate your understanding during this time and hope that if you visit us during May, you will check out all of the other amazing animals at the Zoo!

Brevard Zoo is an independent, not-for-profit organization that receives no recurring government funding for our operating costs. Your generous support enables us to continue to serve our community and continue our vital animal wellness, education and conservation programs.