Birds soar overhead, turtles bask in the sun and fish dart through the water as you enter The Aquarium's Wetlands Gallery. Follow the path to discover the beauty and drama of Florida's wild habitats. You'll seeriver otters, alligators, crocodile, spoonbills, stingrays, snook, nurse sharks and more!
Look up and see more than 30 species of free flying birds including great egret, roseate spoonbills, blue herons and white ibis. The birds nest up in the trees that stretch towards the glass dome.
Enjoy an Animal Encounter show at The Wetlands Stage. Click HERE for show times.
Gallery Highlights & Habitats
Florida Springs
Enter the gallery through a cave in the Aquifer. Water bubbles up from its underground source into crystal clear springs.
Featured Animals: Largemouth bass, bluegill and bowfin.
Streams
From underground springs, crystal-clear water flows into small streams. Rainwater seeping through soil and leaf litter enriches the life-giving water. Lush green plants thrive underwater and along the banks.
Featured animals: gars and ducks
Saw Grass Marshes
Florida is known for its alligators, so watch these 'youngins' soak up the sun and float in the murky waters. Click HERE to listen to baby gator chirps! Put your nose right up to the acrylic...if you dare!
Featured Animals: 15 American alligators.
Gallons: 8,000
Rivers
Watch river otters play, swim and lounge along the river banks.
Featured Animal: North American river otter
Gallons: 12,200
Hammocks
This patch of higher ground has Royal palms and a gumbo limbo tree that provide a dry shady haven for litter critters.
Featured Animals: Box turtles and quail.
Cypress Swamps
In these flooded woodlands, trees grow flared buttresses for support in the soggy ground.* Featured Animals: Red bellied turtles, longnose gar, and wood duck.
Mangrove Forests
Here fresh and saltwater mingle in a maze of mangrove trees and water channels. Featured Animals: herons, egrets, spoonbills, pelican, cormorant, red drum, snook, nurse sharks and American crocodile.
Sunlight dances through the Aquarium's 1,100 panel glass dome which houses eight different habitats teeming with life.
Technical Tidbit:
The largest of the trees in the Wetlands Gallery are manufactured
to camouflage heat and air conditioning ducts.*
