ZooTampa at Lowry Park

What ZooTampa at Lowry Park does

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is an AZA-accredited nonprofit zoological park located in Tampa, Florida, operated by Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 1989. The zoo cares for more than 1,000 animal residents, including endangered, threatened, and vulnerable species, and serves as a major regional attraction for families, tourists, school groups, and conservation partners across the Southeastern United States. Its physical footprint spans themed geographic regions (Africa, Australia, Florida Waters) alongside specialized conservation facilities including the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, which achieved a record 26 manatee releases in 12 months, and the Catherine Lowry Straz Animal Hospital.

The business operates a diversified direct-to-consumer revenue model spanning admissions, tiered annual memberships (Pair $134 to Family $294 with reciprocal access to 150+ AZA zoos), food and beverage, retail, fee-based animal encounters, summer camps ($339-$359/week), field trips, corporate/private events, seasonal events (Creatures of the Night, Christmas in the Wild, ZooBrews), and philanthropic donations. Distribution is primarily through zootampa.org and an on-site box office, with secondary channels including CityPass, iOS/Android mobile apps, and a group sales function for schools. The technology stack is operationally focused — mobile navigation apps, a manatee underwater live stream, Google Maps integration, and NFPA 780/UL 96A-compliant lightning protection systems at new exhibits — rather than AI- or data-driven.

The organization is currently executing its largest capital expansion in history with the March 2026 opening of Florida Waters, and has logged three consecutive years of record attendance as of 2023. It maintains deep institutional partnerships across AZA, WAZA, FAZA, and species-specific conservation programs (BOS Foundation, SANCCOB, Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy, AZA SAFE/Action Indonesia), positioning conservation and education as central to both mission and brand positioning.

Name

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Legal name

Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa, Inc.

Website

https://zootampa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is an AZA-accredited nonprofit zoo in Tampa, Florida, operating a 1,000+ animal collection across themed regions, a manatee critical care center, and interactive attractions, serving families, tourists, school groups, and annual members through admissions, memberships, education programs, and conservation partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park / Wildlife Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Animal encounters
• Zoo admissions
• Annual memberships
• Education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Day admission tickets sold to individual visitors and families. Zoo Fun Tickets provide unlimited admission through December 31, 2026.
2. Memberships: Annual and multi-year memberships offering unlimited admission, free parking, member perks, and reciprocal admission to 150+ AZA zoos and aquariums. Tiered pricing from Pair ($134) to Family ($294).
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable contributions supporting animal care and habitat preservation, including the $Momo community blockchain-based fundraising initiative for pygmy hippopotamus care.
4. Food and Beverage: On-site dining at multiple restaurants including Safari Pizza Company, Macaw's Landing Cafe, Savanna Oasis, Boardwalk Treats, and various concession stands. Members receive 10% discount.
5. Retail/Gift Shop: Gift shops throughout the zoo selling merchandise, animal-themed gifts, and adoption program materials.
6. Education Programs: Summer camps starting at $339-$359 per week, field trips, Zoo School, and educational programs for children and schools.
7. Animal Experiences and Encounters: Fee-based signature encounters including Stingray In-Water Experience, Southern White Rhino Encounter, and Behind-the-Scenes Tours.
8. Private Events: Private event bookings including corporate events, birthday parties, and seasonal events like Christmas in the Wild and Creatures of the Night.
9. Adopt an Animal Program: Symbolic animal adoptions through the Share the Care program supporting expert animal care and global conservation efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is an AZA-accredited nonprofit zoological park in Tampa, Florida that operates wildlife exhibits, animal encounters, education programs, and conservation/rehabilitation services. It sells day admission tickets, tiered annual memberships, premium animal experiences, summer camps, field trips, dining, and retail, while generating philanthropic donations to support animal care and global species survival programs. Its flagship facility is the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, which rescues, rehabilitates, and releases injured Florida manatees.

Product overview

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is an AZA-accredited zoological park offering a diverse portfolio of visitor experiences centered on wildlife conservation and education. The core product portfolio includes animal habitats across themed geographic regions (Africa, Australia, Florida Waters), interactive attractions (Stingray Shores, Roaring Springs water ride, Billabong Splash Pad), and the critically important David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center and Catherine Lowry Straz Animal Hospital for wildlife rehabilitation. Premium add-on experiences include Signature Animal Encounters (Rhino, Stingray In-Water), Inside Look Tours, and animal adoption programs. Educational offerings span Summer Camps, Field Trips, Zoo School, and conservation education programs. Seasonal event products include Creatures of the Night (Halloween), Christmas in the Wild (holiday), ZooBrews (adults), and Wild Weekend Brunch. The organization generates revenue through admissions, memberships (Pair, Trio, Quad, Family tiers with AZA reciprocal benefits), dining, retail, and donations supporting its conservation mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZT Saves: ZooTampa's conservation initiative program focusing on wildlife protection and conservation efforts locally and globally.
• Florida Waters
• Share the Care

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets Day-purchase entry tickets to ZooTampa for individual visitors and families, granting access to all open exhibits, animal habitats, and scheduled programming during the operating day.
• Zoo Memberships Annual subscription memberships for individuals and families providing unlimited admission, free parking, guest passes, member discounts, and reciprocal admission to 150+ AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums.
• Florida Waters Exhibit Major themed exhibit area featuring the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center, jellyfish exhibits, the Otter Oasis riverbank sanctuary, and the Reptile and Amphibian Discovery focused on native Florida species conservation.
• Stingray Shores Interactive touch pool experience where visitors can touch and feed southern stingrays and cownose stingrays, accompanied by educational programming about marine conservation.
• Stingray In-Water Experience Premium signature encounter, presented by Tampa Bay Rays, where guests wade into the stingray habitat for animal enrichment and feeding experiences guided by animal care professionals.
• Animal Encounters (Signature) Fee-based signature animal encounters including the Southern White Rhino Encounter (nose-to-horn experience) and Inside Look Tours providing behind-the-scenes access to animal nutrition, veterinary care, and conservation efforts.
• Share the Care Animal Adoption Program Symbolic animal adoption program allowing supporters to fund the care of specific animals (e.g., Southern Bald Eagles Ross and Glory) in support of expert animal care and global conservation efforts.
• Summer Camps Educational summer camp programs for children offering wildlife education, hands-on activities, and zoo exploration, available at member ($339/week) and non-member ($359/week) rates.
• Field Trips Group educational field trip programs for school groups with grade-specific curriculum alignment, guided tours, and educational resources for K-12 students.
• Zoo School Educational program delivering classroom learning at the zoo environment with specialized curriculum for students.
• Creatures of the Night Seasonal evening Halloween-themed event featuring family-friendly activities, special animal encounters, and entertainment throughout the zoo after dark.
• Christmas in the Wild Seasonal holiday event featuring festive lights, decorations, special animal experiences, food vendors, and family-friendly holiday entertainment.
• ZooBrews Adult-oriented evening event featuring craft beer tastings, live music, and special animal encounters in a social zoo setting.
• Birthday Parties and Private Events Private event packages for children's birthday parties, corporate events, and seasonal occasion bookings at the zoo with animal-themed activities and party spaces.
• ZooTampa Dining Experiences On-site dining at multiple restaurants and concession stands including Safari Pizza Company, Macaws Landing Café, Boomerang Bar, Coppertail Watering Hole, and Boardwalk Treats, with member discounts.
• Wellness Trail Walking trail combining wildlife observation with outdoor wellness and fitness activities for Tampa Bay families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 manatee releases in 12 months from the Manatee Critical Care Center
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026Multi-institutional collaboration for manatee rescue, rehabilitation, and release. ZooTampa participates alongside SeaWorld Orlando, Zoo Miami, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, Brevard Zoo, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends at EPCOT. The partnership achieved the coordinated release of more than 20 rehabilitated manatees back to Florida waters.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZooTampa is an AZA-accredited member, participating in Species Survival Programs (SSP) and the Reciprocal Admissions Program with 150+ other AZA institutions.
• Tampa Bay RaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Tampa Bay Rays professional baseball team presents the Stingray In-Water Experience, providing sponsorship and visibility for this animal encounter program.
• $Momo CommunityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital community that organized a philanthropic contribution to ZooTampa for the care and habitat preservation of pygmy hippopotamus Momo. Leveraged blockchain technology on the Solana network to raise funds for zoo infrastructure, veterinary care, and conservation efforts.
• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational alliance of zoos and aquariums supporting global conservation efforts and species survival programs.
• Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association supporting Florida zoo and aquarium operations, conservation, and professional development.
• Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation partnership supporting orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and habitat protection efforts in Borneo.
• Puerto Rican Crested Toad ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation collaboration focused on research and protection efforts for the Puerto Rican Crested Toad.
• Action Indonesia / SAFE ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal species management program focused on conservation of four key Indonesian species: lowland anoa, bantang, babirusa, and Sumatran tiger.
• SANCCOBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern African Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds - international partnership for seabird rescue and rehabilitation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zoo Atlanta: AZA-accredited urban zoo of similar scale and animal collection size, with comparable membership tiers, education programs, and conservation partnerships — a useful benchmark for attendance and revenue model.
• Zoo Miami: AZA-accredited Florida zoological park of comparable scale, also operating a major animal collection with similar manatee and Florida wildlife conservation programs and competing for the same Tampa/South Florida tourism and membership base.
• Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens: Florida-based AZA-affiliated zoological park offering similar family entertainment, education, and conservation programming; directly competes in the Central Florida visitor market.
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: Regional AZA-accredited zoo in Florida with comparable animal collection size, education programming, and membership model; competes for state-level tourism and school field trip market.
• Audubon Zoo: Mid-size AZA-accredited zoo with comparable animal collection, education programming, and membership structure; useful benchmark for operational scale and ticket pricing.
• Sedgwick County Zoo: AZA-accredited regional zoo of similar size and family-entertainment positioning, with parallel membership, education, and conservation programming.
• Brevard Zoo: Regional Florida zoo that is also a Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership collaborator with ZooTampa, offering comparable family entertainment and conservation programs.

Broad incumbents

• SeaWorld Orlando: Florida-based animal theme park operator and Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership member; overlaps on animal encounters and conservation but operates at much larger theme-park scale.
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Located in Tampa, combines theme park rides (comparable to Roaring Springs) with extensive animal exhibits; competes for the same Tampa family tourism spend but at a larger, ride-focused scale.

Others

• Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa: Listed for completeness — this is the legal entity that operates ZooTampa, not a separate peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zootampa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC03bfPoGwxjn7syETx6B2pA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZooTampa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zootampa
• Instagraminstagram.com/zootampa
• TikToktiktok.com/@zootampa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZooTampa at Lowry Park