Gordon River

The Naples Zoo (or more formally, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens) is a 43-acre zoo and historic botanical garden. The first plantings were done by botanist and ornithologist Dr. Henry Nehrling in 1919. The gardens were neglected after Nehrling's death in 1929. In the 1950s, Julius Fleischmann added new plantings, created lakes and a pathway, and introduced parrots and waterfowl and opened as Caribbean Gardens in 1954.

The mission of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is to “protect Southwest Florida’s unique natural environment and quality of life, now and forever.” The organization is located on 21 acres in Naples, Florida and features the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center.The Conservancy dates back to 1964 when a small group of concerned citizens in Naples, Florida succeeded in stopping the construction of a roadway through Rookery Bay.