Brevard Zoo Is Bringing Back the Whale in a Major Paws On Makeover
Brevard Zoo's longtime Paws On family area is getting its first major renovation since 2009, including new play spaces, a refreshed barnyard and a reimagined version of the beloved whale.
A familiar part of Brevard Zoo is about to look very different—and one of its most nostalgic features is coming back in a new form.
The Zoo is giving its longtime Paws On family loop its first major renovation since 2009. The project will add new climbing and toddler areas, refresh the barnyard and educational spaces, repair existing buildings and the aquarium, and reimagine the water-play whale that generations of local children remember.
The water-play area is expected to remain available through August 9. The entire loop is then scheduled to close from August 10 through October, with reopening planned for October. Construction dates may shift.
The whale is coming back
Longtime visitors may remember when the whale beside the water-play area worked as more than a sculpture. Brevard Zoo says the icon will return as part of the updated experience, though it has not yet revealed every detail of what the new version will do.
That small announcement carries a lot of local nostalgia. Paws On has been the place where many Brevard families introduced toddlers to the Zoo, cooled off during hot visits and returned years later with younger siblings or a new generation of children.
The whale beside the water-play area will return in a new form. Photo courtesy of Brevard Zoo.
Panther Passage replaces Upland Acres
The former Upland Acres playground will become Panther Passage, a multilevel play structure built around roaming, climbing and exploration.
The Zoo says the beloved gopher tortoise element from the previous playground will remain part of the new design. The name also connects the play experience to the larger conservation message planned for the renovated loop: Florida wildlife needs connected land and enough space to move, find food and raise young.
One of the concepts for the new Panther Passage play area. Rendering courtesy of Brevard Zoo.
Tiny Trails gives toddlers their own space
Sea Turtle Beach will be replaced by Tiny Trails, a play area created specifically for toddlers.
That distinction matters in a family zone serving children across a wide age range. A separate toddler space can give younger visitors room to explore without competing with older children using the larger climbing structures.
The barnyard and learning spaces are changing too
The renovation is not limited to playground equipment. Brevard Zoo plans to:
- Expand the chicken coop.
- Add features supporting the barnyard animals' wellbeing.
- Refresh the space used by staff and volunteers for family programs.
- Repair the aquarium and selected buildings.
- Reseal the water-play area.
- Paint and update landscaping throughout the loop.
Visitors may already have noticed climbing bridges added for the Nigerian dwarf goats.
A new name and conservation theme
When the loop fully reopens, it will have a new name and a theme centered on conserving land for wildlife and people.
Brevard Zoo's interpretation team says Florida panthers, black bears and other animals struggle when habitat becomes smaller or fragmented. Connected natural areas give wildlife room to move, feed and reproduce. Those same protected landscapes benefit people through cleaner air, outdoor recreation and healthier ecosystems.
The updated family area is intended to introduce those ideas through play rather than treating conservation as a separate lesson children encounter after the fun is over.
What families should know
The water-play area is currently planned to remain open through August 9. Beginning August 10, families should expect the entire Paws On loop to be unavailable until the October reopening.
Because construction schedules can change, the Zoo recommends checking its Paws On update page and social channels before a visit.
The Zoo is located at 8225 North Wickham Road in Melbourne. Current hours, tickets and visitor information are available at brevardzoo.org.
Sources and useful links
Claire Szewczyk
Claire has called Florida home for a decade, but her love of the Space Coast goes back further — to the beat-up Kennedy Space Center coffee table book she found in a thrift store when she was five. She writes about the people, places, and history that make Brevard County great, and those stories are where Brightside Brevard began.
