Jungle Island is a zoological theme park located on Watson Island in Miami, Florida. Originally known as Parrot Jungle, the park opened in 1936 and for decades was one of the top tourist attractions in Miami. In 2003, Parrot Jungle underwent a major expansion and rebranding and reopened as Jungle Island. The new park featured expanded exhibits, shows, and activities while still maintaining the park’s focus on tropical birds and plants. Jungle Island continued to operate as a popular Miami attraction throughout the 2000s and early 2010s. However, in recent years the park has faced challenges and undergone significant changes.
Brief History of Parrot Jungle
Parrot Jungle originally opened on December 20, 1936 as an attraction founded by Franz and Louise Scherr. The Scherrs were owners of the Coconut Grove Hotel and opened Parrot Jungle as a way to attract tourists to the area. The original Parrot Jungle was built on 22 acres of tropical hammock land, which offered a natural habitat for the exotic bird species housed there.
When Parrot Jungle first opened, it had a collection of 800 parrots representing 150 species. Some species included macaws, cockatoos, Amazon parrots, and Australian parakeets. The park continued to grow its bird collection over the decades. By the 1960s, Parrot Jungle was home to more than 1,200 specimens representing over 300 species of psittacines (parrots and related species).
In addition to its extensive bird collection, Parrot Jungle offered visitors the chance to walk through lush natural vegetation and winding pathways surrounded by tropical birds freely flying overhead. Large outdoor aviaries were constructed to house different species. The park also featured trained bird shows. These shows allowed visitors to see parrots and cockatoos demonstrating behaviors like counting, mimicking human speech, and more.
Parrot Jungle became a popular South Florida attraction, drawing crowds of tourists visiting Miami. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the park continued to expand, adding new exhibits and attractions. Some highlights included:
- Flamingo Pond opened in 1957, housing a flock of Chilean flamingos
- Serpentarium built in 1968 displaying snakes and other reptiles
- Parrot Bowl arena constructed in 1974 for trained bird shows
By the late 1990s, Parrot Jungle was averaging over 500,000 visitors per year. The tropical oasis in the heart of the concrete urban setting continued to be a unique Miami attraction. However, competition from larger theme parks and tourist declines after 9/11 forced Parrot Jungle to re-envision itself for the 21st century.
Rebranding as Jungle Island
In 2003, Parrot Jungle underwent a $47 million modernization and expansion project. The park closed for 7 months while renovations took place. When Parrot Jungle reopened in December 2003, it had been transformed into Jungle Island – a new and improved zoological theme park.
The expanded park encompassed 18 acres of land and featured new exhibits and attractions. Major additions included:
- Orangutan exhibit – Habitat housing several orangutans in an indoor/outdoor setting
- Lemur experience – Allowing visitors to walk amongst lemurs roaming freely
- Jungle Theater – An upgraded arena for bird and animal shows
- Viva Florida exhibit – Showcasing native Florida species like alligators, crocodiles, and panthers
While the new Jungle Island maintained Parrot Jungle’s focus on tropical birds, it expanded to become a more diversified zoological park. The rebranding was an effort to update the park’s image and offerings for 21st century tourists.
In the first few years after its opening, Jungle Island saw increased tourism and revenue growth. The park attracted about 750,000 annual visitors from 2004 to 2007. Popular new exhibits like the orangutan habitat and lemur encounter made Jungle Island a hot new attraction.
Park Highlights in the 2000s
Throughout the 2000s, Jungle Island continued to update exhibits and expand its collection of animals. Some notable additions included:
- Gibbon exhibit added 4 gibbons in 2008
- Koala exhibit opened in 2009, housing 2 koalas on loan
- “Dr. Wilde’s World” exhibit opened in 2009 featuring exotic mammals like the two-toed sloth, southern tamandua, and red kangaroo
- The Serpentarium reptile exhibit was renovated in 2009
- A new petting zoo opened allowing guests to interact with kangaroos, coatis, sheep and pigs
In addition to new exhibits, Jungle Island continued to breed and expand its collection of rare, tropical bird species. By the late 2000s, the park was home to over 1,600 specimens representing more than 500 species. The park’s conservation efforts helped sustain populations of threatened birds like Chilean flamingos, hyacinth macaws, and scarlet macaws.
Jungle Island also continued presenting popular animal shows in its Jungle Theater. These shows allowed visitors a close-up look at trained birds, alligators, monkeys, ligers (lion/tiger hybrids) and other creatures demonstrating behaviors. Popular shows included:
- Winged Wonders – Featuring macaws, cockatoos and other exotic birds performing aerial tricks and stunts
- Alligator Encounter – Allowing guests into a pool with alligators and providing information on the reptiles
- Liger Presentation – Highlighting Hercules, a liger that held the Guinness World Record for largest cat before passing away in 2014
These shows at Jungle Island’s theater continued drawing large crowds multiple times a day.
Financial Challenges Lead to Park Decline
After experiencing growth in the mid 2000s following its relaunch, Jungle Island ran into financial difficulties as the late 2000s recession impacted tourism. Expenses related to the park’s expansion also cut into profits and saddled the park with debt.
By 2011, Jungle Island was losing approximately $2 million per year and was on the verge of bankruptcy. The park continued operating but made budget cuts, reducing staff and closing some exhibits to the public.
In 2012, the private equity group ESJ Capital Partners purchased Jungle Island for $40 million, pledging to invest in updating the park. However, the new owners struggled to turn around the park’s declining fortunes. By 2017, the park was losing around $12 million annually. Contributing factors included:
- Competition from other attractions like Miami Zoo
- Hurricanes and tropical storms damaging exhibits
- Declines in Latin American tourism
- Perception that the park was outdated compared to modern, high-tech attractions
Jungle Island limped along with minimal investment and maintenance through the mid 2010s. The aging park was in need of major renovations and updates to exhibits. But the sluggish tourism numbers made it difficult for ownership and management to justify major reinvestments.
New Vision and Renovations
In August 2017, ESJ Capital Partners sold Jungle Island to new ownership led by real estate investment firm Accesso Partners and hospitality company Parks and Resorts. The new owners expressed an eagerness to invest in revitalizing Jungle Island for the 21st century.
Planning began immediately for a major reimagining and renovation of the park. In January 2018, Jungle Island closed for seven months to undergo $100 million in renovations. When the park reopened in the summer of 2018, the new owners showcased a redesigned facility.
Key changes and new features included:
- New entrance with digital ticketing
- Fresh landscaping with additional green spaces
- Renovated lakeside restaurants and dining areas
- New children’s water play area called Splash Zone
- Updated retail stores selling nature-themed gifts and souvenirs
The new owners also developed plans for additional major construction phases in coming years. These plans included:
- 5-star hotel on the premises
- Luxury pool, spa and fitness complex
- 1,100 seat theater style entertainment venue
- New parking garage
However, these ambitious long-term plans would soon be derailed by unexpected challenges.
Struggles with New Vision
Within its first year after reopening, Jungle Island ran into new difficulties. The renovated park continued losing money, with losses ballooning to $21 million in 2018. Visitor numbers also lagged, with only around 300,000 guests in 2018 compared to original projections of 750,000 to 1 million.
Several factors contributed to the early struggles:
- Construction delays pushed the 2018 reopening date, missing the busy spring break period
- Ongoing construction disrupted the guest experience once the park reopened
- Lack of new major exhibits or rides to draw visitors
- Increased ticket prices deterred some families and budget travelers
Jungle Island also continued to face fierce competition from attractions like Zoo Miami which offered more exhibits, entertainment and activities. Local tourists had lots of cheaper options for activities and destinations.
By late 2018, it was clear the $100 million renovations had not turned things around for Jungle Island. The new ownership postponed plans for the larger hotel and entertainment complex as they scrambled to revive the struggling park.
Pivot to Education and Conservation
In 2019, management decided to shift the park’s focus to education, wildlife encounters, and conservation. This pivot moved away from plans of becoming a massive entertainment complex. Instead, Jungle Island would aim to be an intimate, nature-based park.
Some changes made included:
- Bringing in new natural history exhibits and informational signage
- Adding more wildlife encounters and tours focused on education
- Expanding aviary breeding programs to help conserve rare tropical birds
- Hosting homeschool programs, summer camps, and scout workshops
The new focus helped bring more students, teachers, bird enthusiasts, and nature-lovers to experience Jungle Island’s exhibits and programs up close. However, these audiences still represented a niche compared to the masses of tourists and families originally hoped for.
Jungle Island also formed partnerships with local organizations like Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, and Miami Zoo to promote conservation initiatives. But the shift to being mainly an educational facility meant moving away from plans for onsite hotels and a massive entertainment venue.
Closure During Covid-19 Pandemic
Like all tourism and entertainment venues, Jungle Island was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the public health crisis unfolded in early 2020, Jungle Island was forced to temporarily close its doors that March.
The park remained closed for nearly 8 months. Jungle Island furloughed 90% of its staff and cared for its animal collection with just a small staff of essential workers.
Challenges during the closure included:
- Loss of revenue but ongoing costs to care for animals
- Needing to fundraise to cover $100k per month for basic operations
- Shifting education programs online
- Uncertainty about when reopening would be possible
Jungle Island was able to reopen in November 2020 with reduced capacity and Covid-19 safety measures in place. But the long closure and ongoing pandemic presented another major setback for the struggling park.
Reopening and Current Status
Since reopening after its pandemic closure, Jungle Island continues to operate as a boutique nature park and education facility. As of late 2022, key aspects of current operations include:
- Rebuilt petting zoo where guests can interact with kangaroos, zebus, emus and pigs
- Daily bird and animal shows at the Jungle Theater
- Open aviaries for viewing tropical birds including a new Sun Conure habitat opened in 2022
- Updated reptile and lemur exhibits
- Behind the scenes tours, private animal encounters, and educational programs
Jungle Island today houses around 1,000 animals representing over 175 species. The park continues with its conservation focus, managing endangered species breeding programs. Recent breeding successes have included Florida grasshopper sparrows, rhinoceros iguanas, cotton-top tamarins, and Micronesian kingfishers.
While Jungle Island has moved past its early 2020s vision of becoming a massive entertainment complex, it remains committed to immersing visitors in nature. Ongoing efforts focus on enhancing educational experiences and wildlife encounters.
Conclusion
Over its 85+ year history, Jungle Island has undergone many transformations. Parrot Jungle began as a tropical refuge hosting an impressive collection of exotic birds. The 2003 rebranding to Jungle Island brought additions like new mammal exhibits and shows. Ambitious renovations in the 2010s aimed to turn Jungle Island into a world-class zoo and entertainment venue.
However, the park has faced ongoing struggles with profitability and identity, especially after emerging from the pandemic.
While dreams of becoming a major theme park and luxury destination have faded, Jungle Island remains committed to its wildlife residents. By focusing on conservation, education and intimate encounters, today’s Jungle Island continues introducing new generations to the wonders of nature.
