Nashville Zoo is proud to announce the opening of its newest adventure, Leopard Forest, on Friday, June 20. The new habitat features critically endangered Amur leopards, colobus monkeys, De Brazza’s monkeys, klipspringers, and the return of the Zoo’s most iconic members – Masai giraffes. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on opening day at 9:30 a.m., and the first 2,000 visitors will receive a Leopard Forest bandana to commemorate the occasion.
Leopard Forest is located along the path to the existing Masai giraffe habitat and features four immersive exhibits with stunning views of large trees, vines, natural structures, and an impressive overhead bridge that allows visitors to be mere inches away from the rarest big cat in the world, the Amur leopard. The trees were transported from other areas of the Zoo, some weighing over 100,000 pounds, to recreate a forest environment that resembles these animals’ native habitat.
The exhibit’s design incorporates walkways that offer numerous viewing points for guests to observe the animals. Geometric steel sculptures by artist Matt Hill bring a modern touch to the environment, and a serpentine donor wall, made of mosaic tiles by artist Rhoda Kahler, honors the generosity of those who made this project possible. The signage focuses on modern ecotourism and conservation efforts in Africa, with the theme “Living in Balance” to highlight the importance of protecting the delicate ecosystems these animals call home…