JUST an hour and half away from Kingston by plane is one of Miami’s premier tourist attractions — Jungle Island, home to some of the world’s most rare and incredible animals.

The theme park offers visitors a fun, educational opportunity to get an up-close look at these animals in replicas of their natural habitats.

Located on Watson Island, just minutes from both the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport, Jungle Island’s offerings include ‘Pinky’, the hire-wire bicycle-riding Cockatoo; ‘Mama Cass’, which is said to be the only tame cassowary on the planet; and Hercules the liger, who was added to the Guiness Book of World Records in 2006 and currently still holds the record for World’s Largest Cat.

Many visitors are fascinated by the liger — a rare hybrid animal fathered by a male lion with a female tiger. The ‘King of the Jungle’, Hercules weighs over 900 pounds and stands nearly 12 feet on its hind legs.

Mama Cass, on the other hand, is a genuine six-foot-tall cassowary from Australia, which has been trained to perform in a live show. The cassowary, native to New Guinea, is one of the most lethal birds on earth; it is said to have killed more humans than crocodiles or alligators. Yet on Jungle Island, visitors can get closer than ever to this stunning and graceful beauty.

The attraction is also home to ‘Peanut’ and ‘Pumpkin’, said to be only the third set of Orangutan twins to be born in captivity. Their loving gestures toward their caretakers remind enchanted park guests of how much communication is possible without language.

Visitors to Jungle Island can stroll along the 1.35 miles of winding, covered trails while enjoying the many special exhibits, attractions and tours that are available. Be prepared to enjoy the Winged Wonders Show in the Parrot Bowl, a covered amphitheatre that seats 1,200. The 20-minute show captivates visitors with singing and talking birds, including the free-flying condor with its 11-foot wingspan, and the trained cassowary.

Journalists from Jamaica and Trinidad — two of American Airlines’ Caribbean destinations — were last week taken on a media familiarisation trip by the airline to experience some of the hotspots in Miami, among them Jungle Island.

Ashley Serrate, public relations manager at Jungle Island, explained to the group that the facility sees about 1,000 visitors each day. However, during the summer, this figure can increase to as much as 7,000.

She noted that the facility, which was established in South Miami in 1936 as Parrot Jungle, was created with the idea of an attraction where birds could fly free. But it has evolved over the years into Jungle Island to better encompass the wide variety of animals, plants and activities available.

Now under current owner Dr Bern Levine, who purchased the facility in 1988 and relocated it to Watson Island, the attraction lives up to its name with unusual flora, from the extraordinary African sausage tree to a collection of rare cycads.

The park is also home to dozens of macaws, cockatoos, parrots and parakeets, and visitors can immerse themselves in a sea of colours and hand-feed these charming birds or take advantage of photo opportunities with the feathered ones.

Other shows include Lifestyles of the Cute and Creepy, which provides fun facts about an array of creatures, such as penguins, reptiles and mammals. Then there is La Playa, a private beach ideal for relaxing in a lounge chair while the children enjoy aquatic bounce houses or splash in the water.

Visitors can also meet some playful red kangaroos and, for an extra charge, get up close with them. Through its VIP Safari 90-minute guided tour, visitors experience one-on-one sessions with Red Kangaroos from Australia; African Penguins from South Africa; Aldabra Tortoises from the Seychelle Islands; Capuchin Monkeys from South America; and parrots from around the world.

With its breathtaking landscapes and vistas, exciting shows and hands-on interactions, a visit to Jungle Island is certain to be an unforgettable experience.

Tags: africa, islands, jungle, Jungle Island, miami, tourism, tourist attraction, travel, traveler, vacation, World Tourism

This entry was posted on Monday, April 19th, 2010 at 11:09 am and is filed under Miami Tourism, North America, World Tourism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.