Trunkline Magazine (Louisville Zoo) September 2018 | Page 5

Above: Visitor overlook for high
viewing is in progress.
Right: The roofing is almost
completed and the walls are going
up on The Cub House presented by
PNC, an educational space.
home. It is a giant, complex puzzle
with ever-changing pieces.
For this issue of Trunkline, we will
show you some of the pieces of the
puzzle that is Snow Leopard Pass.
Next issue, we'll take you to equa-
some synchronicity in our storytell-
torial Africa to learn about Colobus
ing and viewing of two endangered
Crossing and the primates that will
big cat species.
share it — black and white colobus
Snow leopards, native to central
monkeys and Schmidt’s red-tailed
Asia and the Himalayas, are fac-
monkeys!
ing increasing strife due to hu-
The building of Snow Leopard
man encroachment onto
Pass allows us to recommit
their formerly wild and
our Zoo to supporting
dramatic mountain
this vulnerable big cat
This exhibit
habitats — they
species whose num-
will offer a
are being hunted
bers are estimated
to be between just
more spacious and because of their
threatening prox-
2,500 and 10,000
dynamic habitat
imity with people
individuals. Snow
for the cats and
and livestock.
leopards have been
Snow
Leopard
at the Louisville
more engaging
Pass will invite you
Zoo since 1992.
experiences for
to imagine their
We decided that we
life on the edge of
needed to start telling
Zoo guests.
a small Himalayan vil-
the story of this vulner-
lage in Nepal, where out
able species and its current
of necessity, the humans and
challenges in more compelling
snow leopards are learning to coex-
ways if we are to help it survive.
ist. Visualize granite boulders, rock
Moving snow leopards to a new
formations, flagstone courtyards
area ripe for expansion and near
and staircases set into mountain-
the magnificent Amur tigers allows
side. You will see buildings themed
to resemble the aged stucco
buildings in Nepal featuring wood
accents, bright Tibetan colors and
prayer flags. The Tibetans believe
these flags, when blown by the
wind, promote peace, compassion,
strength and wisdom.
This exhibit will offer a more spa-
cious and dynamic habitat for the
cats and more engaging experienc-
es for Zoo guests. You will discover
new views of the snow leopards
when they explore their new pas-
sageway, which will go right over
your head. There will be cooling
rocks inside the exhibit for the snow
leopards to lounge on. The adja-
cent Cub House presented by PNC
will invite young children to watch
the snow leopards bounding just
beyond the expansive windows built
into the classroom that is themed
with interactive Himalayan arti-
facts. Children will learn about the
people and the animals living in this
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Fall 2018 • 5