The Edge, the brand new exhibit at Denver Zoo, brings visitors closer to the zoo’s Amur tigers than ever before.
Opening March 17th, the public will be able to view Thimbu, Nikolai and Nikita from multiple viewpoints and perspectives.
A specially designed, perforated wall inside the exhibit will give visitors the impression that they in the tiger enclosure. The tigers also have access to an elevated walkway, allowing them to stride 12 feet above visitors’ heads.
From a multi-tier seating area, visitors will also be able to enjoy talks and demonstrations by the tigers’ keepers.
“We are so excited to present The Edge to our guests,” reports Shannon Block, President/CEO of Denver Zoo. “This exhibit is made to draw them in and let them experience these amazing animals like never before. We hope they leave awe-inspired, with a new appreciation for tigers.”
Tigers’ Outdoor Space has Almost Doubled
Visitors are not the only beneficiaries of the new exhibit. The tigers now have an outdoor space that’s almost double the size of the old one. Large trees provide shade and pools give them a place to cool off and play.
Plus, a new building in the back of the exhibit has been created to deliver outstanding animal care.
According to the zoo, The Edge is so-called in part to reflect the Amur tigers’ precarious existence in the wild. Fewer than 400 individuals are believed to remain in their native homeland. Once found throughout Siberia, they are now almost completely confined to the Far East portion of Asia, along the Amur River.
Funding for The Edge was achieved with $2.2 million in Better Denver Bond funding from the City and County of Denver. The zoo also stresses that it would not have been possible without ‘a major investment of time and resources by the Zoo’s talented in-house staff’.
“We are grateful to be able to financially team together to deliver a project that enhances the culture of this great city,” added Block.