Visitors to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will start to see some big and long-awaited changes to the enclosures for a number of species in Exploration Asia.

The zoo announced that they would be embarking on a phase one renovation that would see the enclosures for the snow leopards, red pandas, red crown cranes, and a new species to be announced, expanded, and improved upon.

Dr. Kyle Burks, CEO of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, said that the work that would begin in March, was being undertaken to enhance the well-being of the zoo’s animals and better create impactful conservation experiences.

“The impetus for this project starting is repairing some aging habitats, but also focusing on continuously improving the well-being of the animals in our care. So, for example, the snow leopard habitat that we’re renovating was originally built in the 1980s for the 1988 Olympics, for pandas. We’ve come a long way since then, and it’s a great opportunity for us to give them an improved habitat in the future,” Burks said.

Phase one of the project is expected to cost $15.8 million and is being entirely funded by the zoo. Construction is set to last until the summer of 2026.

During construction, visitors to the zoo will be unable to see the red pandas, snow leopards, and red crown crane. The Bactrian camels, tapirs, Komodo dragons, Amur tigers, and markhors will remain on display.

“When this project is completed, this transformed space is going to immerse our guests in the rich biodiversity of Southeastern Asia, the Eastern Himalayas and Northeastern Asia, and most importantly, we’ll be able to tell the rich stories of wildlife and people of the region that will inspire our guests to support global conservation through their everyday actions,” said Burks.

“This is the first of a series of projects we’re constantly looking into how we update our facilities, and as we approach our centennial, we have a cascade of projects that we’ll be focused on and working with the community to find funding.”

Expanded Exploration Asia means better quality of life for zoo species

The new habitat enclosures were conceptually similar to the renovations done in Wild Canada which saw larger, more complex, and engaging enclosures created for animals, Burks said.

“They give us opportunities to constantly surprise the animals, and that’s what we’re striving for in this redevelopment as well, with much bigger habitats and more complexity,” he said.

As a result of the renovation of Exploration Asia, Dr. Burks said that the zoo would no longer be housing some species including the Japanese macaques, Japanese serows, and Siberian musk deer—all species of least concern to vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

He said those species would be relocated to other zoos.

Dr. Burks said the new enclosures would better serve the public for conservation education and as part of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo’s commitment to Species Survival Plans.

“Conservation issues around the globe sometimes seem very distant from the folks that may visit a zoo here in Calgary, but when we’re creating immersive experiences that make you step back and think about the choices you make in your own life, then you can step back and say, ‘what can I do to help improve conservation efforts in Southeast Asia?'” Burks said.

“Conservation doesn’t have borders, and animals don’t adhere to the borders the way that we do.”