Initially established as a tropical botanical garden by botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling in 1919, the site of Naples Zoo has a long, illustrious history. Dr. Nehrling hosted many scientists and notables of the time as guests at the garden, including Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and David Fairchild. By 1925, Dr. Nehrling’s garden contained about 3,000 species of plants.

Philanthropist Julius Fleischmann purchased and expanded the property in 1954, renaming it Caribbean Gardens. Flieschmann revamped the tropical garden by cutting new footpaths, digging lakes, planting new species, and adding an impressive collection of tropical birds. Then, in 1969, Caribbean Gardens was acquired by noted wildlife performers and educators Larry and Nancy Tetzlaff, known as Jungle Larry and Safari Jane. They brought their extensive animal collection down to Naples, and thus the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens was born.

Naples Zoo has since become a non-profit organization with the mission to inspire people of all ages to respect, value and help conserve wildlife and our natural world. Naples Zoo achieved national accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2001, and has continued to expand and add to its 100 year history. The zoo now houses species from all over the world and plays an important role in funding and supporting field conservation projects in Brazil, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Madagascar. Needless to say, the zoo houses an impressive collection of primate species including lemurs, Old and New World monkeys, gibbons, and Bornean orangutans.