What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 3pm Tuesday 9am - 3pm Wednesday 9am - 3pm Thursday 9am - 3pm Friday 3pm - 7pm Saturday 9am - 3pm Sunday 9am - 3pm

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

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United States
Gainesville, FL
Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Gainesville’s community zoo and the training facility for the Zoo Animal Technology program at Santa Fe College.
(1933)

Open daily, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., with last entry at 2:30 p.m. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is Gainesville’s community zoo and the training facility for the Zoo Animal Technology program. Situated on 10 forested acres we house rare and endangered species including Matschie's tree kangaroos and ocelots.

05/30/2026

🦖 “Life finds a way…” and apparently so do enrichment ideas. 🦜

Our keepers went full Jurassic Park for Prehistoric Palooza and created some dino-mite enrichment for our golden conures! From a towering T-Rex to the iconic Jurassic Park gates and even a safari jeep, these curious birds got to explore their very own prehistoric adventure.

While our golden conures may not be genetically engineered dinosaurs, birds are the closest living relatives to many prehistoric species, making them the perfect stars for this Jurassic-inspired setup! 🦕✨

Get ready to step back in time at Prehistoric Palooza and discover the connections between ancient giants and the amazing animals we care for today.

📅 June 6
🕙 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
📍 Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
Funded in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County

05/28/2026

Our social media manager is out for the day so I'm taking over! Please tell them I did a good job...

Anyway, come visit the SF Teaching Zoo!

05/27/2026

Our playground will be closed today, May 27, for maintenance as we work to keep it safe and enjoyable for all guests. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding!

At this time, we anticipate the playground reopening tomorrow, May 28.

05/25/2026

Bring your family to meet our family! The SF Teaching Zoo will be open on Memorial Day, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., with the last entry at 2:30 p.m. Veterans and Active Military members, plus one guest will receive free admission on Monday.

Thank you to all who have served and to the service members and their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

05/24/2026

🦖 Step into a world millions of years in the making at Prehistoric Palooza! 🦴✨

Travel back in time for a full day of fossils, dinosaurs, science, and prehistoric adventure at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo! Meet real paleontologists, explore ancient fossils, dig for treasures, and discover the incredible connection between prehistoric creatures and the animals we care for today.

🔬 Special Paleontologist Presentations:
🕚 11 AM – Florida Alligators: Living Fossils with Mitchell Riegler
🕛 12 PM – Montbrook Fossil Site with Dr. Jon Bloch from the Florida Museum of Natural History
🕐 1 PM – Xenarthran/Glyptodont Presentation featuring Dillon the three-banded armadillo with Arod Polanco

🌎 Planetarium Shows:
🦕 Dinosaurs: A Story of Survival
Shows at 12 PM & 1 PM
🎟 $5 cash or $6.16 online/person

🦖 Zoo Activities Include:
• Dinosaur photo ops & chats with the Gainesville Dino Wranglers
• Hands-on fossil digs, including a stream table from the Museum of Earth Sciences
• Interactive fossil tables with real scientists
• Prehistoric-themed keeper talks
• Fun activities designed to inspire future paleontologists
• And more surprises throughout the day!

🦴 Fossils provided by the Santa Fe College Museum of Earth Sciences & Florida Museum of Natural History.

🍧 Food & Fun:
🌈 Cosmic Snowcones & Hot Diggity Dogs
🍧 Kona Ice of Hawthorne
🍴 Red Line Kitchen Co.

Sponsored in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County

05/23/2026

Happy World Turtle & Tortoise Day! 🐢🌎

What better way to celebrate than announcing the return of our Galapagos tortoises to the zoo trail after years behind the scenes!

Previously, spotting Larry, Curly, and Moe meant booking a VIP tour or Galapagos tortoise feeding experience, but now guests can visit these three giants during regular zoo hours near the Visayan warty pig habitat.

So… how does a team of zookeepers move three 300 pound tortoises across the zoo? With teamwork, communication, strength, enrichment, and plenty of breaks along the way.

Our keeper team carefully air-lifted Larry, Curly, and Moe to their new home alongside the African crowned cranes, while Galapagos trainers used enrichment to encourage the tortoises to explore their new grassy habitat at their own pace.

Modern zoos and aquariums play an important role in protecting turtles and tortoises through conservation breeding, research, education, and support for field programs around the world.

To learn more about how accredited zoos are helping protect these incredible species, read this article from the Turtle Survival Alliance: https://t.ly/lMde1

Be sure to stop by the back of the zoo and welcome these slow-moving superstars back to the trail! 💚

05/22/2026

Spend your Memorial Day weekend exploring the wild side of summer at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo! ☀️

The zoo will be open regular hours- including Monday for Memorial Day- from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bring the family to meet our animal family and enjoy a day outdoors with amazing wildlife, keeper chats, and unforgettable memories.

As a special thank you to those who have served our country, Veterans and Active Military personnel will receive FREE admission for themselves and one guest on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.

Valid military ID required for free admission.

05/20/2026

Current staff morale: fossil-shaped. 🦴✨
Prehistoric Palooza is coming June 6th, and judging by keeper reactions, we may never recover emotionally.

Funded in part by
Event link in profile 🦴

05/19/2026

Red-Ruffed Lemur Habitat Enhancements 🌿
Exciting improvements have been made to the red-ruffed lemur habitat at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo.

Zookeepers recently redesigned the enclosure to bring it closer to the guest pathway, creating a more engaging viewing experience. The habitat was also leveled to a consistent height, replacing the previous hills and valleys and opening up more usable space for the lemurs to explore and move freely.
New features, including climbing structures and hammocks, have been added to support natural behaviors and provide additional enrichment. Keepers have already observed that these updates are making training sessions more efficient and effective.

This project was completed entirely by a small group of dedicated students, highlighting the hands-on experience and meaningful contributions that are central to the Zoo Animal Technology program.

05/18/2026

POV: your social media manager has officially lost it and asks you to drink from anything but a cup

and suddenly your zookeeping team is sipping from a purple crayon, a specimen cup, a heavy whipping cream container, and a Goldfish snack box... which, for the record, is NOT waterproof.

Jon noticed pretty quickly that something felt off with the team today, which honestly is exactly the level of observation skills you want from a zookeeper.

Address

3000 NW 83rd Street
Gainesville, FL
32606

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3pm
Tuesday	9am - 3pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 3pm
Friday	3pm - 7pm
Saturday	9am - 3pm
Sunday	9am - 3pm

Telephone

+13523955633

Website

http://www.SFCollege.edu/zoo

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