A little bird told me.....

Seeing these guys was one of the highlights of my trip! Sarasota Jungle Gardens is a lovely spot to "duck" into in the early morning hours, before the heat of the day crashes down on you. I got there just as it opened and enjoyed walking the jungle trails. They have quite an extensive collection of tropical birds; some you can even pose with, others - such as the flamingos - were in a more natural habitat. There are several alligators and croc's to peer at, two very large tortoise, a monkey, an emu and some prairie dogs (not quite what I'd call jungle creatures- but still fun to see). They also had a reptile exhibit and while viewing the snakes, a rattlesnake shook his his rattles at me! There was a Birds of Prey show, which was informative and very well presented. The slight deviation from the program however, gave me the willie nillies.... (large cockroaches were brought out for viewing). Ewwwwww! I'm outta here!
There are many squirrels throughout the place, having found a free meal in dropped seeds below the parrot perches. Ducks roam about freely and it is interesting to see them interact with the pelicans and flamingos on the nearby pond. The overall experience is a calm, relaxing journey through palm trees and palmetto bushes, with many places to sit and observe the animals and birds.