Often when people think of conservation, they think about exotic animals from faraway places – such as tigers and rhinos. But Florida residents are about to learn that wildlife can be endangered far closer to home.

Florida: Mission Everglades, a US$33m (€31m, £26m) expansion opening at Zoo Miami this weekend (10 December), focuses on the wildlife and habitats of the attraction’s own back garden. Sixty species make up the animal exhibits, including alligators, crocodiles, black bears, the Florida panther and a variety of birdlife.

“We're very excited to see this project open to the public,” Zoo Miami director Carol Kruse said of the project which started back in 2008. “The goal of Florida: Mission Everglades is to give our visitors a deeper understanding of the importance of the Everglades and to engage them in helping us save it. We want visitors to be inspired to actually visit the Everglades.”

The zone addresses the issues that arise when people, animals and plants vie for space and underlines to visitors that local wildlife is under just as much pressure from loss of habitat as species further afield.

As well as mammal exhibits and an aviary dedicated to Florida’s native birds, such as blue jays, doves and woodpeckers, there is also the Cypress Landing Playground and café as well as a river boat ride supplied by WhiteWater.

AECOM, PJA Architects and Main Street Design were among those who worked on the project.