Tiger Trail - First Sumatran Tiger Exhibit

Taken 6-1-15. Tiger Trail is the newest exhibit complex at the park, opened in 2014. It consists of 3 exhibits for Sumatran Tiger, a children\'s play area themed to an illegal logging camp in a rainforest, and a visitor center called Sambutan Longhouse that has viewing areas for two of the exhibits and a small cafe.

Thank you once again for an exhaustive series of photos from one of the world's truly great zoos. What was your overall impression of the tiger complex? There are so many terrific tiger exhibits in American zoos (Minnesota, Bronx, Columbus, Cheyenne Mountain and Hogle just to name a few) that I'm curious where you would rank the new one at SDZSP. Interestingly enough, John Ball Zoo recently built a tiger area with two enclosures and Cleveland Park Zoo opens the $4 million Tiger Passage next year with three exhibits all linked via a chute/trail system. A new trend?

I know the question was not directed at me, but I am going to chime in anyway!

As a cat fanatic I have seen many tiger exhibits in all parts of USA and a few in western Europe. (Sadly I visited Bronx before Tiger Mountain). I would say taking all things into account, this is the best I have seen. My only criticism is I would like the exhibits to be even larger, but they are by no means tiny. However I think the landscaping and vegetation gives an illusion that they are larger than they really are. At least the cats are rotated between all three exhibits, so that does add to their enrichment and make up for the smallish-medium enclosures.

Minnesota is fantastic (I was there before the makeover), but I think for visitor experience this just beats it. Plus Sumatran tigers are the most beautiful of the subspecies. I would call it neck and neck between SD Safari Park and Minnesota Zoo for best tiger exhibits in USA.

I think this is my second favorite tiger exhibit/series of exhibits I have seen, Minnesota Zoo is standing out in my mind as my favorite.