Just for Fun

Here’s a preview tour of the Philadelphia Zoo’s new
Big Cat Falls

Insider Visiting Tips

Chris Waldron, associate curator of carnivores at the Philadelphia Zoo, offers insider tips for MetroKids readers visiting the new Big Cat Falls exhibit.

Visit this year. “There are so many young cats that the first year would give you the best experience,” Waldron says. “Pumas, when they are young, are born with spots and bright blue eyes that will change with age.”

Come early in the day. “In the morning, you’ll find the most activity,” he says, “but young cats can be active all day long.”

Look up. With only 42 acres of Zoo, Waldron says, “we’ve had to be inventive on how we use the space.” Cats love to climb, and Big Cat Falls is loaded with opportunities. “It isn’t unusual to look up and see a puma 15 or 20 feet above your head.”

Check the maps. When you arrive, check the visitor map for special activities such as shows and training demonstrations.
by Mary Ann Carrado

Mark your calendar for May 25. The Philadelphia Zoo will showcase its big cats in an all-new permanent exhibit, Bank of America Big Cat Falls.

The $20 million project, more than two years in the making, is unlike any other big cat exhibit in the country. “It is different because it is one of the few places in the world (other than in the wild) where you can see so many big cats in one location,” says Chris Waldron, associate curator of carnivores. “Its all about cats, how we work with them and live with them,” he says. “They are the messengers for their species.”

The feline ambassadors will greet visitors through five outdoor exhibits that boast environments close to nature, some with large waterfalls. Covered pavilions offering educational materials and interactive programs will enhance the experience.

Each exhibit will allow visitors to view the cats in different ways, through an almost invisible mesh, on paths that mimic the savannah and other environments, and through glass at the pavilions.

What to Expect
Here is a preview of what to expect on your visit.

Following a one-way path, you will first come to the African Savannah, or lion habitat, where you’ll meet Merlin, the male leader, and his three females, white lions Vinkel and Jezebel, and tawny lion Zenda. “They are a really big favorite,” Waldron says. “They are incredible to see because of their large size and beauty.”

Zookeepers at the African Pavilion will provide demonstrations with the lions, and materials about the Zoo’s efforts to support conservation in Kenya. “A section of the wall slides open, and the keeper asks the lions to do training behaviors, such as standing or vocalizing,” Waldron says. An indoor section that was once part of the old lion house will display a three-minute media presentation on huge panel screens.

Americas Exhibit
Next, you will come to the Americas exhibit, where the black or melanistic jaguar reins. Born in an Alabama zoo this past June, he will be named in a contest that the Zoo will soon announce. “The exhibit recreates South and Central America with Mayan ruins,” Waldron says. “It really gives you a feel for the South American tribal experience.”

In the Americas pavilion, panels will teach about jaguars and pumas. “We often have live animal exhibits at the pavilions that feature mammals and other creatures who share the environments in the wild with big cats,” Waldron says.

Next, visitors will see three puma cubs. Abandoned in the wild, they were probably born last June or July. “There is one male, Dakota, and two females, Sage and Cinnabar,” Waldron says. “They are exciting to see.”

On to Asia
Trek through the Asia exhibit and you’ll see resident snow leopards Amga, Jala and Panja, three young males. “We plan to put them all together in a bachelor group while they’re young,” Waldron says.

The snow leopards share their space with two rare Amur leopards. Only 40 of these rare cats, named for the Amur River Valley on the Chinese-Russian border, are left in the wild. Krepka, the male, and Katia, the female have lived at the Zoo for years. “Most cats, except for lions, are solitary in the wild,” says Waldron. “We don’t put the adult leopards together at the same time.”

Farther down is the base camp building, where you can learn how to help with conservation efforts.

In the Asian pavilion, 10-year-old Amur (also called Siberian) tiger Dmitri will impress you with his size. “He is the largest of all of the cat species” Waldron says. The pavilion also features interactive activities. Dmitri is a veteran Zoo inhabitant.
Hidden bronze sculptures, touch pools and the Kids’ Cat Club round out the adventure.

“This is the most important exhibit to open in any American zoo this year,” Waldron says. “There is absolutely nothing quite like this.”

Mary Ann Carrado is a local freelance writer.

Big Cat Fun Facts

• “What many people think of as a black panther is actually a melanistic, or black, jaguar,” says Chris Waldron, the curator of carnivores at the Philadelphia Zoo. “While there have been rumors, there’s no evidence that they exist.”

• The three pumas who will inhabit the Philadelphia Zoo’s new Bank of America Big Cat Falls were named to honor Native American culture. Dakota, the male, was named for a tribe. Females Sage and Cinnabar were named for a native plant and a color used in art.

• Underneath his dark coat, the black jaguar has a secret — spots! You can see them if you look closely when the sun glints off of the jaguar’s coat.

• At their new home, the big cats will enjoy a spa-like atmosphere with heated rocks, caves and tunnels for cooling and waterfalls for play or relaxation.