Tampa Bay's Upcoming Wildlife Habitat Will Be One Of The City's Largest Projects Of Its Kind

"Lions, tigers, and bears — oh my!" could very well be the mantra of Busch Gardens, Tampa's iconic theme park, famously home to a number of live animal habitats which house around 200 species, from giraffes to penguins to sloths, in addition to its assortment of rides, roller coasters, and events. In 2025, Busch Gardens announced the Lion & Hyena Ridge, set to open in 2026 as an expansion of the "largest and most immersive animal habitat in over a decade," according to the park's website. The new educational exhibit will more than double its current area, and will feature two interchangeable, rotating habitats — one for lions, one for hyenas — with 35,000 square feet of natural terrain that mimics the Kopje rock formations of the African Serengeti. The design will allow visitors up-close, 270-degree views, with a pedestrian bridge overhead.

Lions and hyenas are naturally competitive species, so they won't inhabit the same enclosures, but they will live in proximity within the replica savanna. A five-lion pride from Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden will move in (Henry, Herman, Hugo, Lou, and Pascal), while two hyenas already residing in Busch Gardens (Cazi and Dazi) will join the new habitat. 

Busch Gardens is known for rides and meticulously landscaped zoo habitats, and underwent a $40 million renovation in 2025. It's part of United Parks & Resorts, which also owns the SeaWorld brands, and boasts nearly 100,000 reviews on Google with a 4.4-star rating. Guests praise the reasonable lines, quality of rides, scenery, and wildlife. "Loved the animal exhibits — they're well-maintained and give you a chance to see a wide variety of wildlife up close," wrote one reviewer. "My daughter loved all the animals; had to practically drag her out of the kangaroo exhibit," noted another.

Busch Gardens is considered one of the best amusement parks to visit in the American South and prides itself on its environmental preservation efforts through the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which supports research, rehabilitation, and education through a number of initiatives and projects around the world. There are two locations: Tampa Bay and Williamsburg, Virginia, which is styled after European countries. 

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay started as a beer garden and "hospitality house" in 1959, as a way for Anheuser-Busch Brewery to promote the brand. The company built a garden, bird sanctuary, and visitor center next to its brewing facility; an early iteration featured free beer and brewery tours along with parrot shows. Over the decades, Busch Gardens has evolved into a destination theme park spanning 335 acres of grounds, rides, and animal exhibits. African animals were one of the park's early main attractions, and an elevated monorail was constructed through the habitat, modeled after an African veldt. The park still features exotic birds, along with a plethora of other animals in globally themed habitats, from penguins to meerkats, but a number of other attractions have also been added to the park, from roller coasters and family-fun areas to Adventure Island, an adjacent water park.

Located just 15 miles from Tampa International Airport (TPA), Busch Gardens is easily accessible from downtown Tampa, where historic neighborhoods like Old Seminole Heights have become trendy destinations for drinking and dining, as well as Hyde Park, a historic, affluent neighborhood with upscale restaurants. Although Tampa's not within Orlando's theme park mecca — Orlando International Airport (MCO) is 85 miles, or roughly a two-hour drive  – Busch Gardens offers free shuttle service from select locations in O-Town, making it a feasible addition to a Florida parks itinerary.