The Little Apple has always been known for its Wildcats.
But now, Manhattan’s Sunset Zoo has announced there will be a few more big cats in town for the public to visit.
Beginning Dec. 12, community members will once again see tigers on exhibit at the zoo, according to a press release from Sunset Zoo assistant director Ella Casey.
In November, a pair of 8-year-old Malayan tigers, Malik and Hakim, arrived at Sunset Zoo from fellow Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited institution, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens. The brothers are currently behind-the-scenes as they complete the standard quarantine process.
“To say we are excited is an understatement,” said Scott Shoemaker, Zoo Director. “We are thrilled to re-connect Manhattan residents to these gorgeous big cats and also unveil to the community exciting plans for their new home – along with sloth bears and leopards – at Sunset Zoo.”
In the spring of 2014, Sunset Zoo lost its elderly male tiger, Bob, due to quality of life issues.
Zoo staff purposely waited to identify new animals as it considered opportunities to modernize this area of the zoo. While meeting basic standards, the current tiger and sloth bear exhibit holding building was built in the 1950’s and has remained relatively unchanged. Additionally, public access to this portion of the zoo is limited with challenging-to-navigate hills at all access points. Over the last two years, zoo staff have worked alongside a professional architect and lead donor to redesign the Asian Trail, incorporating modern practices to animal care and guest experiences.
Through the design process, it was determined that relocating the tiger and sloth bear exhibits would be the most value-driven option. As a result, the current exhibits will not be affected during the construction process and staff decided to bring tigers back on exhibit while the zoo completes fundraising efforts for the new design.
At noon on Saturday, Dec. 12, guests are invited to welcome Malik and Hakim to the Little Apple as they enjoy their first day on public exhibit in Manhattan. Community members can enjoy views of the tigers along the walkway that runs in front of the leopard exhibit; the steep hill leading to the ground-level viewing of the animals is now closed due to guest safety concerns.
Additionally, unveiled on this day will be exciting plans to rediscover tigers, sloth bears and leopards at Sunset Zoo.
For more information about Sunset Zoo, visit SunsetZoo.com or call 785.587.APES.
Sunset Zoo is located at 2333 Oak St. near the Manhattan High School West Campus.
