This is one exhibit I am really excited about and may be the one thing to cause me to return to San Diego. (I used to go every year, but have gotten burned out on San Diego, hard as that may be for some to understand. 2011 is the first time in many, many years I will not make a trip out there, nor do I have plans to go next year. But eventually I will need to go see this tiger complex when it is open.)
Followup. I realize this is at the Wild Animal Park (Safari Park), but I believe 2015 is the zoo's 100th anniversary and they will have the zoo cat walk redone for that. Could make that the year for my return. In fact, could be a good time to host the first ever US ZooChat meeting. Obviously a long ways off, just thought I would throw it out there to plant a seed. (Los Angeles' slew of new exhibits will be done by then too).
What must be incredibly exciting for admirers of big cats (such as Arizona Docent) is that 4 major American zoos are opening brand new Sumatran tiger exhibits within the space of a couple of years. Kansas City, Phoenix, San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Woodland Park will soon all have new habitats for the world's smallest tiger species.
From what people have been saying about recent (non) construction at the Safari Park it sounds like it's still not clear when (or even if) this is going to get built.
I mentioned San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Woodland Park, Kansas City and Phoenix as all having plans for new tiger exhibits in the next couple of years, and in reality John Ball, Jacksonville and Knoxville can be added to the list and it is not a stretch of the imagination to declare that there might be 7 brand-new tiger exhibits by 2016.
Cincinnati is opening its new tiger exhibits (one for Malayans, one for generic whites, plus an exhibit for snow leopards) in 20 days, so there might actually be eight brand-new tiger exhibits by 2016.
This exhibit is going to be AWESOME! From what i saw at the safari park and at their website their is going to be japanese serows and then a brand new tiger exhibit with a abandoned rice farm at it and a waterfall!
Those are Western Tufted Deer, not Japanese Serow. That would make even less sense. I liked the design better when it had binturongs, milky storks, and hornbills.
