Rotary Club’s donated funds enabled building of a Seminole chickee hut, a covered space to accommodate guests
Wonder Gardens has a deep-rooted history in Southwest Florida. As we’ve watched downtown Bonita Springs experience exponential growth and flourish through redevelopment, we’ve continued to evolve as well. A lot has changed since we opened 90 years ago, in 1936.
Last fall, we opened two new exhibits at the Wonder Gardens, including the Vivarium with baby gators and an otter grotto. We had otters many years ago, and now they are back. Ivy and Mae, rescued North American river otters, have quickly become guest favorites. The dynamic duo is outgoing and loves to greet guests when they walk into the gardens. We are also home to other exotic wildlife, including flamingos, parrots, turtles, snakes and more.
At Wonder Gardens, our mission is to preserve and enhance the best of our history, caring for rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable animals, cultivating our botanical beauty and delivering engaging education programs and events.
One recent enhancement is our new Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Chickee Hut. In 2025, we received a $30,000 donation from one of our partners, The Foundation of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs, to build a Seminole chickee hut. The new structure expands opportunities for community gatherings and programming.
Prior to Hurricane Ian in 2022, we had a barn that served as a vital space for events. After sustaining significant damage from the storm, the barn was deemed uninhabitable and later demolished. This was a significant loss for us, especially as a longstanding community nonprofit. Many of our programs were put on hold, and we were limited in what we could offer our supporters coming from near and far until now.
Thanks to the generosity of The Foundation of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs, we used the donated funds to build a Seminole chickee hut and celebrated its dedication in February. Seminole chickee huts are traditional, open-air dwellings made from a wooden post frame and a palm thatch roof. The hut will provide a designated covered place where guests can enjoy a variety of activities, even in Florida’s hot and rainy summers.
The addition marks an important milestone. We can now once again host a variety of events at Wonder Gardens and accommodate up to 150 guests for private gatherings and educational programs.
As a nonprofit, we believe investing in our youth through wildlife conservation education is so important. In partnership with local schools, we offer educational programs for many early learning centers, private and charter schools, and the school districts in Lee and Collier counties. With this new addition, we can resume hosting classes, summer camps and field trips, which often include activities, meals and animal encounters.
In addition to our programs, our local community can also rent the space for parties, weddings and other special events, allowing life’s special moments to take place somewhere rich in history.
We are so excited to continue growing and adding additional features as part of our master plan for renewing the wonder. We look forward to welcoming more locals and visitors to explore what’s new and what remains as part of that old Florida charm.
Neil Anderson is the CEO and president of the Wonder Gardens, a nonprofit zoological park and botanical garden established in 1936 that exudes old Florida charm. It serves as a vibrant sanctuary for exotic animals. With general admission, guests are invited to explore the lush 3.5-acre landscape and see alligators, flamingos, otters, parrots and more. To learn more about the Wonder Gardens, visit WonderGardens.org or call 239-992-2591.
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