Weighing the pros and cons of an eco-tour vs. a zoo trip during your trip to Southwest, Florida? Here’s why taking an eco-tour is the superior of the two choices!

Eco Tour Animals Aren’t Kept in Captivity

Every eco-tour is a surprise because unlike at a zoo, where animals are trapped in cages, eco-tour animals are freely wandering! That means you may see a turkey one day on a Babcock Ranch Eco-Tour and then take the same tour the very next day— and no turkey is to be found! Instead, you may see a wild hog or a deer in the same area. The surprise, the unknown, and the knowledge that animals are living freely and happily make an eco-tour a much more exhilarating trip than a visit to the zoo.

Eco Tours Support Sustainable Tourism

Eco-tours are a great way to experience nature the way nature prefers to be experienced— naturally! The eco-tours at Babcock Ranch are committed to sustainable tourism practices that will allow generations to come to enjoy the same sights, animals, and natural beauty.  In fact, did you know Babcock ranch is located within a 73,000 acre preserve? This preserve protects the most environmentally valuable areas of the ranch so you can feel good about seeing animals, without disrupting their natural way of life.

Eco Tours Allow You To Experience Animals’ Real Habitats

In a zoo, you’ll see lions playing with balls and monkeys hanging from swings. During an eco-tour, you’ll see what animals’ real habitats look like. This provides a more educational and realistic experience as to what life is like for Florida’s flora and fauna!

Zoos Don’t Have Swamp Buggies

If an eco-tour sounds like too much walking, think again! Babcock Ranch offers 90-minute, guided eco-tours to see the natural beauty of Florida’s ecosystems… in swamp buggies! Seeing the Florida landscape from a swamp buggy is a unique and thrilling way to explore Southwest Florida that you won’t forget anytime soon.

To purchase your tickets for a Swamp Buggy eco-tour or to learn more about the other eco-tour options available at Babcock Ranch, click here. We look forward to having you onboard!