Sunday 11 May 2014

NEWSLINK: Philadelphia Zoo premieres Big Cat Crossing



Philadelphia Zoo presents Big Cat Crossing, May 7, 2014Tammy Schmidt, Philadelphia Zoo's curator of carnivores, discusses the new Big Cat Crossing, while Dmitri and Wiz, twin Amur tigers, explore their new trails.
As my eyes met those ofDmitri the Amur tiger, who was relaxing 14 feet above my head in a metal mesh tube, I wondered what he was thinking.
While he appeared to be leisurely cleaning his giant paws, I suspected that the fascinating cat was just as interested in me as I was of him.
Dmitri, along with his twin brother Wiz, helped to officially open Big Cat Crossing — the newest extension of the Zoo360 animal trail system found only at the Philadelphia Zoo — on May 7.
Kevin Murphy, the zoo’s general curator, said cats, like humans, tend to follow a set course when moving from point A to point B.
“Tigers and cats will choose the most obvious trail when moving through the jungle,” he said. “They will even use a road. This trail system will allow them to cross our campus using these trails.”
The Big Cat Crossing trail currently stretches 330 feet from Big Cat Falls over the zoo’s main visitor path to the swan boat lake.
“Sometimes they get to the end and stand up on their hind legs to look at the swan boats,” Murphy said. “They are amazing, intelligent animals.”
Work will continue on the trail this fall to expand it even further into the park.
Dmitri and Wiz, who are almost 2 years old, came to their new, permanent home in Philadelphia in January.
Still practically kittens, the brothers are “full of energy” and quite comfortable with READ MORE

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