Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, not only features thrill rides and live entertainment, but also offers up-close animal encounters that convey the importance of environmental stewardship, providing guests with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With more than 200 species, the park’s zoological features attract visitors from all over the country. In January 2023, Busch Gardens added to its roster of resident animals by welcoming Bandar, a critically endangered Sumatran tiger.
Building a Prosperous Future for Tigers
Bandar, a 9-year-old male, was transferred from the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, and is the park’s first Sumatran tiger—a species on the brink of extinction due to poaching, habitat loss, and human conflict. In his new habitat, Bandar joins Rukayah and Zahra, a Malayan and Bengal tiger, respectively, in the Jungala region of the park.
With less than 400 known Sumatran tigers in the wild, Bandar is part of Busch Gardens’ participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). The goal of the SSP is to manage specific species populations within AZA-accredited facilities, such as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which has successfully managed tiger populations for more than five decades.
“The SSP program is kind of like a dating service for animals, but with much higher stakes. The goal is to protect the survival of the species and make sure we’re ensuring genetic diversity of the species,” says Kayla Wendzel, Busch Gardens’ zoological supervisor.
Genetic diversity in any species is vital in ensuring its survival. As populations get smaller, genetic diversity is lost, which decreases a species’ ability to adapt and survive.
SSP members analyze the genetics of animals in all AZA-accredited institutions to ensure all animals are placed in facilities that will support the long-term population success of that species.
“There’s a lot of math and science that goes into making sure each animal is in the right facility,” says Wendzel. “If there is ever a point where they become extinct in the wild, this program ensures we still have them in zoological facilities in hopes of continuing the population. If an animal goes extinct, we’ve run out of time, but if they are endangered, we still have time.”
It is the park’s mission to not only provide a unique experience with its combination of thrill rides, entertainment, and collection of animals like Bandar, but also inspire its guests and staff to affect positive change—all while having fun.
Fun or Conservation—Why Not Both?
At Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, guests don’t have to choose between entertainment and learning about animal conservation. It all weaves together within the park.
“One of the great things about working at Busch Gardens is this unique setting in which we can impact people who come for the entertainment, the thrill seekers, people who come for our special events, and people who come for the animals,” says Vice President- Zoological Jenny Mendoza.
Guests can get closer than ever to Bandar in Jungala and learn about the importance of saving Sumatran tigers as its population dwindles before taking on Tigris, an innovative roller coaster that catapults riders through an exhilarating array of looping twists, breathtaking drops, a 150-foot skyward surge, and an inverted heartline roll, all at more than 60 miles per hour. Video monitors on the boarding platform share facts about tigers while riders wait.
Guests can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how the team at Busch Gardens cares for animals with the Animal Care Center. They can also check out Cheetah Hunt, a triple-launch roller coaster that carries riders high above the park and races toward the ground through a rocky gorge. It is the park’s longest thrill ride and innovatively integrates the coaster next to the Cheetah Run animal habitat.
“We’re constantly looking at new ways to engage with our guests at all different levels, but it is all connected,” says Mendoza. “Even if a guest comes for the rides, they end up learning more about animals and becoming more connected to them in some way. If you ride Cheetah Hunt, you come away with saying ‘I felt like a cheetah, and it was awesome,’ and so our guests really experience this interactive experience with animals and the park as a whole.”
A Ticket with a Mission
Guests’ visits to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay support animal rescue and conservation work across the globe. More than 1,200 people care for the animals at SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, and Busch Gardens, and have dedicated their careers to caring for animals big and small. Since its inception in 2003, the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has provided more than $18 million in grants to over 1,200 organizations—from global organizations to grassroots groups. “What is really special is all of our guests, whether they are here to ride a roller coaster or here to see their favorite animal, each ticket supports wildlife worldwide through our species research, animal rescue and rehabilitation, and conservation education,” says Wendzel. “This is how we include our guests in the impact we’re making. They are a huge part of it, and it is just something that makes our connections with our guests even stronger.”
