ZooTampa announces multi-year plan to expand to Hillsborough River
TAMPA, Fla. - In newly released plans to expand its footprint in Tampa, ZooTampa officials announced a $125 million transformation of its current park that will take two decades to finish. This includes expanding its manatee rescue area and creating a new "realm" while revamping current ones to showcase animals from around the world.
The zoo also plans to expand its reach to connect to the Hillsborough River, which would involve taking over a portion of Lowry Park, which is located between the zoo and the river, with North Boulevard running in between. Officials released their initial plans Thursday morning.
Rendering from ZooTampa shows water taxi stop in the new "South Africa" realm.
Chris Massaro, the senior vice president of zoological operations for ZooTampa, told FOX 13 their expansion proposal would not only benefit the zoo, but the surrounding community as well.
"It's important for us to make sure to continue to have Lowry Park here, it's a great asset to the community," Massaro said. "We want to continue to make Lowry Park accessible to everyone in the community. Those areas will still have the opportunity for green spaces and natural space for everybody to enjoy."
The initial rendering released by the zoo does not make it immediately clear how much of Lowry Park would be taken over if the city were to approve the expansion.
"ZooTampa is a community treasure, and we look forward to reviewing the parts of the proposed expansion that require City of Tampa approval," said Nicole Travis, Tampa’s administrator for Development and Economic Opportunity.
The vision for ZooTampa's expansion was presented in four parts:
Manatee Rescue
This proposal comes as manatees are dying by the hundreds mainly from pollution-caused starvation in Florida. Wildlife officials said most of the manatees starved to death in the winter while migrating through the Indian River Lagoon, where algae in the estuary have led to seagrass loss.
Expansion rendering of Manatee Care Center at ZooTampa.
Right now, the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center is one of only four critical care centers in the world for manatees. ZooTampa officials plan to open the new "Manatee Rescue" in January 2026 that will "immerse guests in the manatee's world."
It's aimed to educate guests about the state's "state’s fragile marine ecosystem; from rivers, to the Intracoastal, to the Gulf. The area will offer unforgettable moments of education and eye-level viewing with manatees as guests witness the real-time life-saving work taking place every day to save these gentle sea cows," according to a news release.
READ: Manatee relative among 700 new species now facing extinction
Stingray Shore rendering from ZooTampa
Manatee Rescue will expand the capacity of the Manatee Critical Care Center and will add acute care and nursery pools for manatees in severe cases. This is slated to open in fall 2023. Stingray Shores will also open around this time, giving an interactive habitat for guests to touch and feed the rays.
Plus, Manatee Rescue will feature jellyfish floating with the current as well as a riverbank home for otters.
New otter area in ZooTampa. (Rendering from ZooTampa)
Over the summer, state and federal agencies said they were working with seven organizations to expand rehabilitation capacity across Florida. At the same time, officials said, SeaWorld is expanding to provide up to 20 additional spots, while additional work is underway at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, ZooTampa, and the Jacksonville Zoo. Even Walt Disney World has come forward "on ways that they can take a more integral role."
MORE: Florida manatees will be fed lettuce again this winter, 'no entry' zones created in Brevard waters
South America
ZooTampa plans to have multiple species from this continent: sea lions, giant river otters, and even jaguars in a new area dedicated to South American wildlife. The expansion will also include water taxis to get to the park from the Hillsborough River.
Here, ZooTampa said it is collaborating with Tampa city officials to expand to the Hillsborough River to include additional dining and retail options. In their press release, zoo officials didn't specify how this may impact the neighborhood.
Africa
The African area of ZooTampa will be revamped to include expanded habitats with different levels. On the ground floor, guests will see red river hogs. As they head higher up, there will be primates.
Right now, there are elephants, giraffes, Southern white rhinos, okapi, red river hogs, Maribou storks, Von Der Decken Hornbills, pygmy hippos, African-painted dogs, and more. Next up, ZooTampa officials promise a "unique opportunity for guests to sleep within the roar of the king of the jungle."
Lions are not currently among the animals that reside at ZooTampa.
Massaro said part of their longer-term plan includes immersive experiences, including cabanas and the potential of overnight stays in the zoo.
Asia
Over here, officials will be adding overhead paths between guests and the habitats to give a different vantage point.
An example of the overhead path as part of the ZooTampa expansion (Provided by ZooTampa)
Currently, there is the Malayan tiger, sun bear, Indian rhino, and other Asian species.