Zoo Miami visitors are told to leave after second bomb threat in 2 days

Zoo Miami abruptly closed Saturday afternoon after a bomb threat for the second day in a row, according to a social-media post from the zoo.

More than 100 cars were stuck in traffic on the road leading out of the attraction.

The zoo also had a bomb threat on Friday afternoon. The zoo closed after “an anonymous phone call reporting a bomb threat,” the facility said at the time.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office sent deputies, including specialized units, to conduct a “thorough sweep of the property,” the agency said Friday.

The call came in around 2 p.m. Friday. At 3:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office was asking people to stay out of the area.

The sheriff’s office told the Miami Herald that the Friday call was likely a hoax, but deputies were nevertheless checking the area. The office has yet to respond to the Herald’s requests for information about Saturday’s incident.

Miami Herald Staff Writers Nora Gamez Torres and David Goodhue contributed to this report.

This story was originally published March 14, 2026 at 3:13 PM.

Michael Butler

Miami Herald

Michael Butler writes about minority business and trends that affect marginalized professionals in South Florida. As a business reporter for the Miami Herald, he tells inclusive stories that reflect South Florida’s diversity. Just like Miami’s diverse population, Butler, a Temple University graduate, has both local roots and a Panamanian heritage.