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Naples Zoo makes TripAdvisor's Hall of Fame

By Daily News Staff
Sarah Hardwig, 14, and Nicole Shannahan, Director of the Lighthouse of Collier's summer camp, feed a giraffe during a field trip to the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens on July 12, 2017. Lighthouse of Collier is a nonprofit that offers programs and services to help the blind and visually impaired become independent in Collier County. Hardwig has been involved since the very beginning of this group when it was founded in 2009.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a Hall of Famer.

The landmark attraction has been inducted into TripAdvisor's Hall of Fame. The special designation comes after it earned TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence award five years in a row.

The annual Certificate of Excellence award is based on getting great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Recipients include restaurants, hotels and attractions from all over the world, which have continually delivered a quality customer experience. 

TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel website.

“We are very proud of this designation from TripAdvisor. Providing an exceptional guest experience is one of our top priorities and our staff works very hard year-round to meet the highest standards," said Jack Mulvena, the Naples Zoo's president and CEO, in a statement.

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Donors, staff members and other officials for the Naples Zoo break ground for the Glass Animal Hospital at the Naples Zoo on Friday, May 11, 2018. At present, Naples Zoo is the only accredited Zoo in Florida that does not have an animal hospital on-site.

He added that the attraction and its employees are "very thankful for the continued support of the community and our visitors.”

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a nonprofit organization. It's a nationally accredited zoo and historic garden.

The zoo opened in September 1969 in what was once the gardens for botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling. It continues to expand and grow with new offerings including more animal encounters. 

In May, the attraction broke ground on its new Glass Animal Hospital, which will enable zoo staff to do surgeries on campus and to help care for injured or abandoned Florida panthers.

The 7,500-square-foot hospital will also provide additional shelter for zoo animals during hurricanes.

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