Miami Car Rental and Monkey Jungle
The city of Miami has literally gone ape-crazy thanks to Joseph DuMond's Monkey Jungle located just off of U.S. 1 in South Dade. This innovative zoological park is quite unlike traditional zoos, allowing the animals to run free while humans are caged off and protected. Located on more than 30 acres, Monkey Jungle is one of only a few recognized protected habitats for primates in the United States, as well as the only one open for public exploration. Created by the inquisitive animal behaviorist, Joseph DuMond back in 1933, Monkey Jungle now functions as a top-notch research and primate conservation center, attracting millions of Miami car rental tourists annually. Designed with the animals' comfort in mind, Monkey Jungle comfortably houses more than 30 different species of primate, including a number of endangered types. It's easy to see why Miami has gone ape over this tourist attraction, so why wait? Plan to make a few primate pals during your upcoming Miami car rental vacation by visiting Monkey Jungle.
A jungle of fun: Monkey Jungle and its natural habitat
The main attraction at Monkey Jungle is, of course, the monkeys. Protected primates include more than 30 different species, including gibbons, guenons, spider monkeys and colobus. Miami car rental clients can even catch a glimpse of the endangered Golden Lion Tamarin during their visit. Monkey Jungle is currently participating in an international effort to save this cute little creature from extinction. All of the primates at Monkey Jungle roam free inside the zoo's Amazonian Rainforest, North America's only semi-natural tropical rainforest. Most of the plants found in this park were transplanted by a relative of Joseph DuMond directly from the forests of Iquitos, Peru. The resulting habitat mirrors that of a naturally occurring rainforest, providing Monkey Jungle's inhabitants with a nearly wild existence. A number of other exciting animals can be found in the jungle including raccoons, opossums, and yellow rat snakes. The natural process of life and death occurs daily within the Amazonian Jungle, as primates and other mammals interact directly with one another.
From bones to birds: Other facilities at Monkey Jungle
There's much more to Monkey Jungle than a prominent primate population. In fact, Monkey Jungle also houses one of the state's finest aviaries as part of the onsite Wings of Love Foundation. This non-profit organization has created a unique sanctuary for captive parrots that have either been displaced or can no longer be cared for by their owners. Wings of Love essentially "adopts" orphaned birds, giving them another chance at a semi-natural existence. Free-flight geodesic domes are set up around the property, grouping birds with other native species from their particular region of the world. Natural foliage helps provide the birds with comfortable nesting areas and additional interest. The exotic birds at Monkey Jungle will not be sold or bred for commercial purposes. They may. However, be used for specific breeding programs designed to reintroduced species back into the wild. Another exciting resource at Monkey Jungle is that of an archeological site located deep beneath the earth's surface. This site, which contains a sinkhole, has been found to contain fossils from a number of species bones form saber tooth tigers, dire wolves and Pleistocene horses and camels. Human teeth have also been uncovered.
If you're looking to monkey around during your upcoming Miami car rental vacation, there's no better place to start than the Monkey Jungle zoological preserve in South Dade. Miami car rental customers are welcome to drop by the preserve daily between the hours of 9:30am and 5pm. Admission is just $19.95 for adults, $13.95 for children ages 3 to 9 and $16.95 for seniors. Monkey jungle is located at 14805 Southwest 216 Street in Miami. For more details please call 1-305-235-1611. Miami car rental customers are also invited to log onto the official Monkey Jungle website at www.monkeyjungle.com for more information.
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