The Potawatomi Zoo is working on its newest capital project: a state-of-the-art Amur tiger and leopard habitat titled Big Cat Tracks. This project will be the first expansion in the Zoo’s history, incorporating two additional acres recently acquired from the City of South Bend, adjacent to the current Zoo border.
“We’re so excited about this project,” says Josh Sisk, executive director of the Potawatomi Zoo. “Not only is this the first expansion of the Zoo’s footprint in decades, it’s also another opportunity to get big cat species into larger, more naturalistic habitats, just like we did with the new lion habitat a few years ago.”
Big Cat Tracks will integrate the existing landscape of the park space into wooded, more naturalistic habitats for Amur leopards and Amur tigers. The habitats will also reflect the unique characteristics of each species. For instance, the tiger habitat will include a water feature, because tigers enjoy spending time in the water, and the leopard habitat will include new climbing structures. The Zoo also plans to bring in new Eurasian species of animals such as Sika deer, tufted deer, and white-naped cranes to create an immersive Eurasian experience.
The project is a $5.5 million part of Phase 3 of the Zoo’s master plan, which also included the concessions Lodge and Andean bear habitat that opened last year. Funding for Big Cat Tracks has come from private and public funding sources, individuals, and organizations.
“We raised about $3 million for this project during the quiet fundraising phase,” explains Sisk. “That’s more than halfway, but we still need a little help getting across the finish line so we can begin work as soon as possible.”
The Big Cat Tracks project will also have new amenities for visitors, including new bathrooms and a playground area.
For more details on the Big Cat Tracks project and naming opportunities, visit www.expandingourprints.org.
