New attractions at Central Florida Zoo

Zoo to build two new exhibits for $11 million

Orlando Business Journal - by Melanie Stawicki Azam

The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford is gearing up for an $11 million Sumatran Swamp Forest project, featuring two new exhibits that will open during the next two years.

Zoo CEO Joe Montisano wants to break ground on a $3.2 million Sumatran tiger exhibit by the end of this year, with work taking about eight months to complete.

Plans call for getting a pair of tigers from another U.S. zoo or facility, breeding them and eventually having four. "It's entirely feasible to have the tigers on the property by 2009,'' Montisano said.

The zoo also will start building an orangutan exhibit next year and open it in 2010 with six animals.