TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Part of the natural world of Asia is coming to Tucson soon. Reid Park’s new expansion brings an Asian theme, and it’s close to opening.
Before too long a cute little Red Panda could be climbing logs carefully arranged into a panda jungle gym. It is just part of the Reid Park Zoo’s new Pathway to Asia exhibit. It’s under construction right now but it will be ready before long.
Red Pandas are one of the attractions of the new Pathway to Asia exhibit.
The zoo will have Malayan Tigers. Only about a hundred are out in the wild, the Reid Park Zoo will be part of a tiger breeding program to keep the species from going extinct.
At the other extreme of the cat world, the Pathway to Asia will have examples of the Sand Cat. They usually top out at about seven pounds.
Small-Clawed Otters are already at the Zoo but since they’re native to Asia, they’ll be moving to a nice new habitat when Pathway to Asia is ready.
Part of the zoo expansion will enhance older parts of the zoo with things like more shade to make visitors more comfortable.
Zoo visitor Andrea Santos says, “We’re pretty excited. Shade would be great. My son is excited for the Red Pandas.”
If you want to see a lizard much bigger than our usual desert lizards, the Asia exhibit will be the place. It will have a Komodo Dragon—a roughly 300 pound lizard big enough to take down a deer.
Zoo President Nancy Kluge says the people of Tucson made the expansion possible through a sales tax of one tenth of one percent.
“In 2017 they passed a sales tax measure to support Reed Park Zoo, something that we never take for granted, as well as some very generous donors that really combined with that sales tax to make those dollars go further.”
The exhibit is designed to recall what you might see in the Cambodian jungle.
Kluge expects the construction should finish by this fall, in time to have the animals settled in in time for you to visit them by the holidays.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
