Tigers + Sloth Bears, Woodland Park Zoo
Together with the adjacent small-clawed otter habitat, Asian Aviary, and kid’s play area, built in Phase I by FORMA; Banyan Wilds is Woodland Park Zoo’s most ambitious project in nearly two decades. Phase II of our work houses state of the art habitats for three young Malayan tiger brothers and sloth bears, as well as an interactive conservation field house with hands-on learning opportunities for visitors.
Each habitat includes innovative features and material selections to encourage the close interaction of the public with these animals, without sacrificing the comfort and security of their environments. Components such as heated concrete pads adjacent to viewing walls and trainer areas, draw the animals in close to Zoo visitors; while a hidden pneumatic system allows supervised children to feed sloth bears grapes, and a fabricated “tree” drops treats for curious tigers when vigorously shaken.
For more information on the project and to see our crews in action, take a look at this video, shot during construction.
