OCALA, FL (352Today.com) – Four months after graduating from the University of South Carolina in June, Jalen Watson is in talks with Marion County about opening a zoo.
“I went to the University of South Carolina. I graduated in 2026. I’m actually a recent graduate,” Watson said, stating afterwards that he graduated with a degree in Biology with a focus on animal sciences.
Watson, founder and executive director of the proposed Ocala Zoological Park and Aquarium, said the project is aiming for a 2028 opening on at least 50 to 100 acres of commercial land. He currently works at Zoo Atlanta and has a background in wildlife rehabilitation and education work at the South Carolina Zoo.
“We’re potentially striving for 2028 open, so there are a lot of things going on right now. Most important, land acquisition,” Watson said. “We don’t want to tear down any trees. We don’t want to cut down any land that is already being used. When I say used, I mean by the natural world. We don’t want to cut down any animal homes or really make any animal have to leave for our business. We want to kind of find a property that, you know, is already kind of developed.”
He said the search for the right acreage and zoning is the main reason the project is moving carefully. “That’s really what’s taking the most time, that’s one of the main questions we get a lot, and what’s taking the most time is acquisition of the land,” Watson said. “We are looking for at least 50-plus [acres]. That’s the minimum.”
Watson said Marion County officials have responded positively but want the project on commercial land. “They also do not want us, nor do we want to, you know, encroach on any natural or preserved land… We’ve been working closely with Marion County to try to find the correct land, and they’ve been very great with helping us do that so far.”
Watson has also contacted the City of Ocala by phone and has an upcoming in-person meeting with staff. Required permits are expected to include special-use and conversion permits, plus approvals from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the USDA.
On funding, Watson said the project will be financed primarily by him, with support from sponsors and a small number of investors that have not yet been made public. “It will be funded by me. We submitted a bunch of business plans, which got positive feedback from vendors,” he said. A projected operating budget of $8 million to $9 million has been discussed. About $4,000 has been raised so far in donations, mostly from personal contacts, with further fundraising paused until legal requirements are met. “Between donations, we’ve had at least $4,000. I put a hold on donations at the moment, just because I want to make sure we get everything legally done,” Watson said. If the project does not proceed, he said those donors would be repaid.
Animals are expected to come from rescues and other facilities. “These animals that we plan to get will either be [from] rescues or from other facilities or, you know, retired animals that no longer are doing things that they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place, like circuses or anything like that,” Watson said. “And also, we’ll be working with conservation facilities.”
The idea grew out of longstanding work in animal welfare. “I actually have a background in animal welfare since I was a teen, starting in South Carolina, working with wildlife rehabilitation,” Watson said. “Animal welfare, conservation, and education has been something that’s been important to me since I was a young kid, and I kind of now envision it to be for the next generation… We want to teach the next generation of kids why our planet is so important and what ways we can help preserve it.”
He chose Ocala after visiting the area. “There’s a special vibe about Ocala that you really have to visit to understand,” Watson said. “When you go to Ocala, you get a different type of feel. You get more of a natural, wild feel about it, and I think that’s what kind of drove this idea to be placed here.”
Watson said he has no major hesitations. “I feel like this will be a great thing for Ocala. I feel like this is a great thing for people in general,” he said. “The project was never going to be easy, and we knew that going in, but you know, good things are never easy. They always take work.”