Sumatran Tiger - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

October 2006. This is one enclosure of five that feature as a rotating exhibit for a number of Asian species: sumatran tigers, white-cheeked gibbons, siamang gibbons, malayan tapirs and lowland anoas. The rotation system has been in place since the Asian Forest set of habitats was built around 2004.

rotating exhibit? I'm sorry could you please explain that to me?

Cool photo though no question there.

The tigers, 2 species of gibbon, tapirs and anoas are all listed on each exhibit as on any given day any of those animals can be found inside a particular enclosure. Sometimes the animals are moved from one exhibit to another during the day, so an example would be the siamangs would move into the sumatran tiger cage (after the tigers had been shifted out), the tigers would then be bumped into the malayan tapir enclosure, and the tapirs would move into the lowland anoa exhibit. The white-cheeked gibbons would move into their own exhibit and all 5 species would still be in 5 different enclosures. The Louisville Zoo and Point Defiance Zoo are the only 2 zoos in North America that have that system, but it means that instead of a species living the rest of their lives in 1 cage they are moved around and around through 5 different cages. It is interesting to see the tigers in an exhibit with lots of primate ropes, as each enclosure has to be able to hold each and every kind of the 5 animal species: hoofstock, primate and carnivore. The two species of gibbon actually only have 3 enclosures to rotate through, while I think that the tigers, tapirs and anoas have 4-5 in total. There are also African-crested porcupines, Asian elephants and Asian-small clawed otters in the same Asian section of the zoo.

oh thanks! Now come to think of it that would be kinda cool to have going to the zoo you don't know exactly what's gonna be on display.

That would be fantatstic for enrichment purposes - the tigers getting a whiff of anoa or tapir, and tapir, anoa or gibbons smelling tiger when they move into their new exhibit.

It is a great idea for the animals and visitors, as the animals receive fantastic enrichment and when an individual visits the zoo they don't know which of the handful of exhibits the animals will be found in.

How do they do it then? Tunnels, holding cages...?

snowleopard´s comment above made me curious about these exhibits, just like you, ashely-h. So I spent an hour or two checking it out here at this web site and elsewhere (not much info except on this site, though...). Anyway: lots of info to be found both in the gallery and in the forums here at ZooChat. Some very interesting discussions about the good and bad about this practice at Point Defience - and the exhibits as such - between snowleopard, zooplantman and others. Check it out!

I think tunnels were mentioned somewhere, but I don´t remember right where. Perhaps somebody else can chip in here?

PS
The zoo´s web site map shows the enclosures in question in the north-east side of the map. The web site doesn´t mention anything about this particular practise (as far as I can tell), which is a bit of a disappointment...

@Dan: I found some info in the Louisville Zoo's website, which has a similar exhibit. Here is the link: Louisville Zoo - Islands "The World's First Multi-Species Rotational Exhibit"
Hope this helps.

There are actually some photos (from ZooChat member drzoomi) in the Point Defiance Zoo gallery that show the tunnels that are used to shift the animals. It is a cool practice, as I have visited the zoo twice and I never know where the animals are going to be on any particular day. What is bizarre is seeing sumatran tigers in an exhibit with lots of hanging ropes for gibbons!