The history of Zoo Miami can be traced back to 1948, when a small road show, stranded near Miami, exchanged three monkeys, a goat and two black bears for approximately $270 in repairs for the truck.
These six animals were the beginning of the Crandon Park Zoo at Crandon Park on the island of Key Biscayne, just southeast off the coast from downtown Miami.
The Crandon Park Zoo occupied 48 acres (19.4 ha) of the park.
The first animals in the zoo, including some lions, an elephant and a rhinoceros, had been stranded when a circus went out of business in Miami.
Some Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and pheasants were added from the Matheson plantation.
By 1967, the Crandon Park Zoo had grown to over 1,200 animals, and was considered one of the top 25 zoos in the country.

Other animals were added, including a white Bengal tiger in 1968.

In 1965, Hurricane Betsy devastated the zoo and killed 250 animals.
After the hurricane there was talk of a new zoo for Dade County, but not until 11 December 1970 did Dade County officials apply for 600 acres (243 ha) of land in the Richmond Naval Air Station property.
Construction began in 1975.
The zoo opened on July 4, 1980 as Miami MetroZoo with a preview section of 12 exhibits and Asia, the first major exhibit, opened on December 12, 1981.
A total of 38 exhibits, covering 200 acres (81 ha), were open to the public at this time.

In the 1980s, the zoo continued to expand.
An additional 25 acres (10 ha) with six new African hoofed stock exhibits opened in 1982, along with the zoo's monorail in 1984.
After the closing of 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, monorails were being moved in Florida and re-used at Miami MetroZoo.
Wings of Asia, a 1.6-acre (0.6 ha) free-flight aviary, was opened in December 1984.
Three additional African hoofed stock exhibits followed in 1985, and two new exhibits were opened in the African savanna section in 1986.
The Australian section of the zoo was opened in 1989, and PAWS, the children's petting zoo, opened in 1989.
The Asian Riverlife Experience opened in August 1990.

In 1992, the zoo suffered extensive damage when Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida on August 24.
The small, yet intensely powerful category 5 hurricane toppled over 5,000 trees and destroyed the Wings of Asia aviary—which had been built to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour (193 km/h)—resulting in the loss of approximately 100 of the 300 resident birds.
Despite the majority of the zoo's animals remaining outside during the duration and aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, only five animals were killed from either debris or the consumption of contaminated water.
MetroZoo, though looking dramatically different, was reopened on December 18, 1992; with the zoo's tiger temple exhibit renamed in honor of Naomi Browning, a local 12-year-old zoo volunteer who was one of the storm's casualties.
By July 1993, many of the animals that were sent to other zoos and animal parks across the United States during the zoo's reconstruction had been returned to MetroZoo, and over 7,000 new trees had been planted to begin restoring the zoo's tree canopy.

In 1994, stray dogs entered the zoo during off-hours and killed five Thomson's gazelles and two Grant's gazelles.
In 1996, a brush fire burned 100 acres in the southeast portion of the zoo's undeveloped land.
Nearly 30 animals from neighboring exhibits were evacuated.
The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter opened that same year, followed by Andean Condor (1999), Meerkats (2000), Cuban Crocodiles and Squirrel Monkeys (2001), and Dr. Wilde's World, which is an indoor facility for traveling zoological exhibits.
The rebuilt Wings of Asia aviary, housing more than 300 individuals representing 70 species of birds, opened in the spring of 2003.

On July 4, 2010, the zoo was renamed the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, or Zoo Miami, for marketing and branding purposes.
This was a part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration.
The zoo broke ground on a $43 million project that included an Everglades exhibit and a new state-of-the-art entry
The history of Zoo Miami can be traced back to 1948, when a small road show, stranded near Miami, exchanged three monkeys, a goat and two black bears for approximately $270 in repairs for the truck. These six animals were the beginning of the Crandon Park Zoo at Crandon Park on the island of Key Biscayne, just southeast off the coast from downtown Miami. The Crandon Park Zoo occupied 48 acres (19.4 ha) of the park. The first animals in the zoo, including some lions, an elephant and a rhinoceros, had been stranded when a circus went out of business in Miami. Some Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and pheasants were added from the Matheson plantation. By 1967, the Crandon Park Zoo had grown to over 1,200 animals, and was considered one of the top 25 zoos in the country.
Other animals were added, including a white Bengal tiger in 1968.
In 1965, Hurricane Betsy devastated the zoo and killed 250 animals. After the hurricane there was talk of a new zoo for Dade County, but not until 11 December 1970 did Dade County officials apply for 600 acres (243 ha) of land in the Richmond Naval Air Station property. Construction began in 1975. The zoo opened on July 4, 1980 as Miami MetroZoo with a preview section of 12 exhibits and Asia, the first major exhibit, opened on December 12, 1981. A total of 38 exhibits, covering 200 acres (81 ha), were open to the public at this time.
In the 1980s, the zoo continued to expand. An additional 25 acres (10 ha) with six new African hoofed stock exhibits opened in 1982, along with the zoo's monorail in 1984. After the closing of 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, monorails were being moved in Florida and re-used at Miami MetroZoo. Wings of Asia, a 1.6-acre (0.6 ha) free-flight aviary, was opened in December 1984. Three additional African hoofed stock exhibits followed in 1985, and two new exhibits were opened in the African savanna section in 1986. The Australian section of the zoo was opened in 1989, and PAWS, the children's petting zoo, opened in 1989. The Asian Riverlife Experience opened in August 1990.
In 1992, the zoo suffered extensive damage when Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida on August 24. The small, yet intensely powerful category 5 hurricane toppled over 5,000 trees and destroyed the Wings of Asia aviary—which had been built to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour (193 km/h)—resulting in the loss of approximately 100 of the 300 resident birds. Despite the majority of the zoo's animals remaining outside during the duration and aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, only five animals were killed from either debris or the consumption of contaminated water. MetroZoo, though looking dramatically different, was reopened on December 18, 1992; with the zoo's tiger temple exhibit renamed in honor of Naomi Browning, a local 12-year-old zoo volunteer who was one of the storm's casualties. By July 1993, many of the animals that were sent to other zoos and animal parks across the United States during the zoo's reconstruction had been returned to MetroZoo, and over 7,000 new trees had been planted to begin restoring the zoo's tree canopy.
In 1994, stray dogs entered the zoo during off-hours and killed five Thomson's gazelles and two Grant's gazelles. In 1996, a brush fire burned 100 acres in the southeast portion of the zoo's undeveloped land. Nearly 30 animals from neighboring exhibits were evacuated. The Falcon Batchelor Komodo Dragon Encounter opened that same year, followed by Andean Condor (1999), Meerkats (2000), Cuban Crocodiles and Squirrel Monkeys (2001), and Dr. Wilde's World, which is an indoor facility for traveling zoological exhibits. The rebuilt Wings of Asia aviary, housing more than 300 individuals representing 70 species of birds, opened in the spring of 2003.
On July 4, 2010, the zoo was renamed the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, or Zoo Miami, for marketing and branding purposes. This was a part of the zoo's 30th anniversary celebration. The zoo broke ground on a $43 million project that included an Everglades exhibit and a new state-of-the-art entry
Zoo Miami