Animal Care Center

Busch Gardens Tampa

This new building, as seen on the hit TV series “The Wildlife Docs,” replaced the existing animal hospital on the grounds of Busch Gardens. The main goal of the project was to provide a state-of-the-art facility in which to provide for all the health care needs for over 12,000 animals. Busch Gardens is one of the largest, most highly accredited zoo facilities in the nation; and when compared with traditional zoos it is the 2nd highest attended zoo in the nation. In addition to the main goal of animal care, another goal was to also provide a means for education to the guests of the park and overall outreach. To that end, the building was designed to allow the guests to see all operations and other treatment provided to the animals. Large, full-height glass walls were provided between the guest areas and the Surgery, Treatment, and Laboratory spaces to allow the feeling of being inside these rooms. Meyer Associates provided architecture and engineering services, as well as concept and theming design. The project concept was as a continuation of the adjacent realm created with the construction of the adjacent Serengeti Outpost. The building massing was made to feel as though the building was created from a series of indigenous mud homes, providing a visual link between old and new, ancient and modern.