Coming soon to a zoo near you.

We’re feline excited about two cat-centric projects underway in Wild Florida!

Our bobcat habitat, which has not been modified much since the Zoo opened in 1994, is getting a major upgrade that will more than double the space for Eko, our 15-year-old rescued bobcat. Planned additions include a second living space, a large viewing window that will give you a clearer look at Eko than ever before, and an overhead walkway similar to the jaguar and monkey “tunnels” in Rainforest Revealed.

The empty space between the bobcat and bear habitats is being developed as a temporary home for a small pride of lions that will support the needs of their Species Survival Plan.

Once this project is complete and the lions arrive, our construction crew will begin work on the permanent lion habitat in the space currently occupied by our 12-year-old cheetah, Pepper, in Expedition Africa. Pepper will be relocated elsewhere in the Zoo.

When the lions move into their permanent home in Expedition Africa in 2023, the space they leave behind will be modified to house Florida panthers or additional rescued bears.

Eko has been moved to a “vacation home” near the white-nosed coatis in Rainforest Revealed and will stay there until construction in Wild Florida wraps up later this year.

If you’d like to help bring lions to the Zoo, click here to make a contribution.