Proposed Ocala Zoo and Aquarium: What the Project Has Shown So Far

A project called the Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium describes a future zoo and aquarium in Ocala, but as of Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, the public record it has produced is limited to a website, a Florida company filing and a list of founding-membership prices. The project's website, ocalazoo.com, says the zoo "is under construction" and that its address "will be published closer to opening day." This article lays out what the project's own pages, Florida business records, the Marion County Property Appraiser and the regulators' published requirements show, so readers can weigh the project for themselves.

A capybara, the animal behind the project's planned "Capybara Cove" habitat. Illustration: AI-generated by Only In Ocala; not a photo of the project or of any Ocala site.

At a Glance

• What the website says: "COMING SOON!" and "The Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium is under construction. Check back soon!" (home page, checked Oct. 25, 2026)


• Location: the FAQ page says the park "will be located in Ocala, Florida" and that the "full address and directions will be published closer to opening day." No address, parcel or site plan appears on the pages checked.


• Opening date: none of the pages checked states a year. The FAQ entry "When will the Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium open?" still holds template placeholder text.


• Money: the site lists one-time founding memberships of $500 (Patron), $1,000 (Champion) and $5,000 (Legacy), and says development is "supported through founding memberships, donations, sponsorships, and community partnerships."


• Company record: Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium, LLC, Florida document number L26000412233, filed Aug. 4, 2026, status active, principal address in Palmetto, Georgia


• Marion County Property Appraiser: a name search for "OCALA ZOOLOGICAL" on Oct. 25, 2026, returned 0 records

What Does the Project's Website Say?

The site presents the project as a future destination "dedicated to wildlife, conservation, education and community engagement." The home page's headline is "Something Wild is Coming," with the line "We're working on something amazing. The Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium is under construction. Check back soon!" The header carries "Future Hours: 9am-5pm" and a "Buy Tickets" button.

The FAQ page describes a master plan with habitats including "Capybara Cove, the Sulcata Tortoise Trail, the Florida Discovery Zone, a walk-through aviary, Flamingo Lagoon, and a future aquarium," with an African Savanna and Predator Ridge listed as long-term plans. It says the aquarium "will feature freshwater and saltwater exhibits, interactive touch tanks, and reef displays." The home page says Capybara Cove "is envisioned as a lush South American-inspired habitat." The wording throughout is future tense, and the pages checked name no architect, engineer, contractor or animal-care director.

The site's Join Us page lists two full-time positions, an Interactive Animal Keeper and a Crocodilian & Herpetology Keeper, each with an "Apply Now" button. The FAQ page, by contrast, says "We are not actively hiring yet" and that recruiting is expected "during the later stages of development." The keeper listing says species assignments "will depend on OZPA's developing animal collection."

What Does the Site Ask Visitors to Pay For?

The Support Us page offers "Founding Membership" in three one-time tiers:

• Patron, $500: lifetime founding member recognition, unlimited annual admission for 2, 20% off dining and the gift shop, founding member events and a name on the donor wall


• Champion, $1,000: everything in Patron, unlimited annual admission for 4, behind-the-scenes tours four times a year, an animal naming opportunity and a quarterly impact briefing


• Legacy, $5,000: everything in Champion, dedicated exhibit sponsorship, private event access, an annual conservation trip invitation and prominent name recognition

The page's donation section carries the note "(This is just a temporary image until I add the real donation tool)." Each tier's button links to a sign-up page at ocalazoo.com/membership-signup; Only In Ocala did not submit any form or payment, so what that page collects is not described here. The FAQ page says "Founding memberships are valid for one year from the membership start date," while the Patron tier describes "lifetime founding member recognition".

The Partners page names two organizations: Ocala Breeders' Feed & Supply as a "Founding Partner" and Marion Audubon as a "Conservation Partner." It invites businesses to become zoo partners through founding partnerships, exhibit, animal, event and educational sponsorships, corporate giving and in-kind support. Only In Ocala did not contact either named organization, so this article does not say what, if anything, either has agreed to. The Ticket Sales page shows a booking-calendar prompt and a Member Dashboard page asks visitors to log in.

What Contact Information Is Listed?

The mobile navigation menu on the site's pages lists a phone number of 555-555-5555 and the email address mymail@mailservice.com, which look like placeholder values; the desktop layout does not display them. Elsewhere on the same pages, the site lists 803-318-2780 as its call-us number and links ocalazooaquarium@gmail.com as its email. The social-media icons on the pages checked link to the general home pages of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter rather than to a project profile.

What Does the Florida Business Record Show?

The Florida Division of Corporations' Sunbiz database lists OCALA ZOOLOGICAL PARK & AQUARIUM, LLC as a Florida limited liability company, document number L26000412233, filed Aug. 4, 2026, status Active, and the FEI/EIN field reads "NONE," which is common for newly formed companies. The principal and mailing address is 73 Dave Dr., Palmetto, GA 30268. The registered agent is Inc Authority RA, 390 North Orange Ave., Suite 2300-N, Orlando, FL 32801. Two managers are listed, Jalen Watson and Aliscia Dodson, both at the Palmetto address. The record shows one filing, the formation document; because the company was formed in 2026, its first annual report is not yet due.

An LLC filing shows that a company exists. It does not show whether the company owns land, holds permits or has raised money. Only In Ocala did not find a statement on the project's website naming the company or its managers.

Has Any Land Been Bought?

The Marion County Property Appraiser's property record search on Oct. 25, 2026, using the owner-name option and the term "OCALA ZOOLOGICAL," returned 0 records. That search covers parcels in the Appraiser's database under an owner name. It does not show contracts to buy, options or leases, and recent transfers can take time to appear. The project's website names no site, so there is no parcel to check by address. Only In Ocala did not search Marion County or City of Ocala planning and agenda records for a rezoning, site-plan or land-use application, so this article makes no statement about one and reports no county comment.

What Does It Take to Open a Zoo or Aquarium in Florida?

Three outside systems are relevant to a facility that exhibits animals. The first two are legal requirements, and the third is a voluntary professional accreditation.

State permit. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says on its exhibition page that "Exhibition of wildlife in Florida requires a permit." For Class I and Class II species the applicant must document 1,000 hours of experience working with the species, spanning at least a calendar year, provide two reference letters and pass a caging inspection before a permit is issued. Class I holders must also show financial responsibility, such as a $10,000 bond or liability insurance. FWC's acreage rule for new Class I and II applicants says a Class I facility "shall not be constructed on less than five (5) acres" and a Class II facility on no less than two and one-half acres, with a buffer of at least 35 feet to the property line, and that "the property must be owned or leased by the applicant." FWC lists exceptions to some of these facility requirements and separate Class III permits for other species, and which class each of the project's planned species falls into depends on the species, which Only In Ocala did not determine. The pages Only In Ocala opened do not show a public search of FWC permit holders, so whether the company holds a permit could not be checked.

Federal license. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says on its Animal Care Public Search Tool that the Animal Welfare Act covers "certain warm-blooded animals" used in exhibition, that "animal dealers and exhibitors must obtain a license," and that its inspectors inspect licensees' animals, records and facilities. The tool provides a list of licensed exhibitors and inspection reports. Only In Ocala did not search that list for the company, so this article makes no statement about it.

Accreditation. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) describes accreditation as a review of animal welfare, veterinary care, safety, physical facilities, staff and finances. The application "takes many months to complete and six months to study and evaluate," followed by an in-person inspection of "every area" over "several long days" and a hearing before the Accreditation Commission. Accreditation is renewed every five years. The pages of the project's website that Only In Ocala checked do not mention AZA, USDA licensing, county zoning or acreage; the Join Us keeper listings refer to applicable FWC requirements and permits for the keepers.

What Public Records Would Confirm Each Step?

Each of these would be a primary-source document that a reader can check independently:

• A named site: a street address or parcel number on the project's website, and a deed, contract or lease in county records under the company's name


• A county application: a rezoning, special-use or site-plan application filed with Marion County or the City of Ocala, which would appear on a public agenda or in the county's permitting system


• An FWC permit: an exhibition permit for the species planned, subject to the acreage, ownership and caging rules above


• A USDA license: a listing for the company in the APHIS public licensee search


• AZA steps: a listing with AZA as an applicant or accredited member, if the project seeks accreditation, which is voluntary


• Financial disclosure: an explanation of how donations and membership payments are held and used, and a registered charity or nonprofit status if the project claims one. The Sunbiz record is for a limited liability company


• Leadership and contact details: named staff, a working local phone number and a mailing address on the website

What Else Is Available Near Ocala Today?

Ocala has no public zoo today. Our guide to zoos and wildlife sanctuaries near Ocala covers the EARS big-cat sanctuary in Citra and Petting Zoo Ocala, and our kids activities guide lists more family options. Our editorial guidelines explain how we verify what we publish.

Sources: Ocala Zoological Park & Aquarium website (ocalazoo.com): home, Animals, Visit, Events, Conservation, FAQs, Join Us, Support Us, Partners, Dashboard and Ticket Sales pages, for the quoted text, membership tiers, listed contacts and partners. Florida Division of Corporations (search.sunbiz.org), entity detail for L26000412233, for the filing date, status, addresses, registered agent and managers. Marion County Property Appraiser (pa.marion.fl.us) property record search by owner name, for the 0-record result. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com) exhibition and acreage pages. USDA APHIS Animal Care Public Search Tool. Association of Zoos and Aquariums (aza.org) Accreditation Basics page. All checked Oct. 25, 2026. AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this article; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing.