This looks to be an extraordinary exhibit; I very much look forward to your fuller report on your travel thread. What is perhaps most remarkable is that they don’t appear to be millions of fellow visitors around – were you just lucky? Or did you get in as soon as it was opening time? Or is this really such a relaxed and under-crowded place?
@sooty mangabey Even though it was a Saturday morning, the crowds were sparse and the zoo is a large one with lots of space in between enclosures. I headed past everyone and straight for the Journey to Churchill complex and was treated to the astounding sight of two Polar Bears mock-fighting directly over my head, thus churning up the water. The paw of a Polar Bear only a couple of feet from one's head looks like the moon due to its immense size. As I've said elsewhere, a zoo with a tunnel through its Polar Bear pool can create an awesome experience. Being able to see 9 out of the zoo's 11 Polar Bears (in 6 exhibits!) was extraordinary but the whole complex is so well done that I was stunned. Even the Snowy Owls do well at this fine zoo!
Its shocking tbh that this exhibit/zoo does not seem to have big crowds. I wonder how they were able to afford such an expensive exhibit that also likely has really high operating costs.
Journey to Churchill, including visitor pathways and absolutely everything else, is a full 10 acres in size and while it is difficult to Google a final cost, I've heard that $80 million is an estimate. Much of that money came from taxpayers, as is the case at most major zoos in North America.
Copied and pasted from the zoo's 2014 press release:
"Journey to Churchill was made possible with $34 million in support from the Province of Manitoba, $28.1 million from the City of Winnipeg, and private sector support from individuals, families, foundations, and corporate donors."
