It has over 900 exotic animals including rhinos, hippos, Western lowland gorillas, and orangutans that visitors can view during an African preserve train ride.

[4] It closed temporarily on August 17, 2009, awaiting the decisions from the governments of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to provide $125,000 each in funding.

The walking portion includes many animals including American black bears, lions, tigers, clouded leopards, red kangaroo, Galapagos tortoises, and a large variety of exotic birds such as American flamingos, Indian peafowl, owls, macaws, king vultures, laughing kookaburra, ostriches and toucans.

Other highlighted exhibits throughout the park include warthogs, Asian small-clawed otters, American alligators, and dromedary camels.

Primate exhibits include ring-tailed lemurs, lar gibbons, siamangs, Schmidt's guenon, golden-headed lion tamarins, black-headed spider monkeys, western lowland gorillas, and Bornean orangutans.

[3] Another unique area of the walking portion of the Zoo includes a large raised boardwalk that allows visitors to see herds of various hoofstock, capybara, pygmy hippos and orangutans.