It took 20,000 volunteers two weeks to turn 56 acres of forest and wetlands into the

Brevard Zoo, the only American Zoo and Aquarium Association-accredited zoo built by a community. Stroll along the shaded boardwalks and get a close-up look at alligators, crocodiles, giant anteaters, marmosets, jaguars, eagles, river otters, kangaroos, exotic birds, and kookaburras. Alligator, crocodile, and river-otter feedings are held on alternate afternoons -- although the alligators do not dine on the otters. Stop by Paws-On, an interactive learning playground where kids and adults can crawl into human-size gopher burrows, beehives, and spiderwebs; get cozy with several domestic animals in Animal Encounters; have a bird hop on your shoulder in the Australian Free Flight Aviary; and step up to the Wetlands Outpost, an elevated pavilion that's a gateway to 22 acres of wetlands through which you can paddle kayaks and keep an eye open for the 4,000 species of wildlife that live in these waters and woods. Overnight Zoo Safaris for kids ages 7-14 include a nighttime safari by flashlight and marshmallows cooked over a campfire. Picnic tables, a snack bar, and a gift shop complete the daytime picture.