Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

▪ zoo and amusement park, Tampa, Florida, United States

      privately owned zoo and amusement park opened in 1959 by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., in Tampa, Florida, U.S. The park's theme is the continent of Africa. Some 2,700 animals are exhibited at the 335-acre (135-hectare) park.

      Busch Gardens began as a hospitality centre at the brewery in Tampa, offering tropical gardens with exotic birds and animals. In 1965 the Serengeti Plain exhibit was opened, featuring hundreds of African animals roaming free in a replicated habitat. Other exhibits now include a gorilla and chimpanzee habitat, bird gardens, a replica of the excavation of the tomb of the Egyptian king Tutankhamen, an orchid display, and habitats for animals such as tigers, warthogs, orangutans, elephants, crocodiles, and tortoises. Visitors can take a safari tour to view animals including lions, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and zebras. Busch Gardens also provides roller coasters, water rides, shows, and other amusements. A second Busch Gardens opened in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1975.

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