BIG THINGS ARE COMING YOUR WAY…. Yes, a portion of the pathway along the west side of the Zoo will be closed for about two years. However, we assure you that it will be worth it! Why two years, you might ask? Well, constructing a 10,000 square foot South American rainforest in Indiana is a complex process! For close to three years, Zoo staff and Zoo architects have been perfecting plans for AMAZONIA. Now it’s time to break ground! However, building a state of the art rainforest exhibit isn’t your standard construction project. Here are a few things we’ll be up to for the next two years as we create a rainforest in the Midwest:

1. Purchase plants, trees, and flowers from nurseries in Florida ahead of time to grow for the exhibit

2. Build a huge structure allowing ample light for plant and animal life

3. Place intricate rockwork, a waterfall, and suspension bridges to theme the exhibit

4. Equip building with irrigation systems and fog makers throughout

5. Install climate control appropriate for a rainforest atmosphere

6. Construct an additional 9500 square feet of "hidden" space for equipment and where the animals will sleep at night

7. Acquire and introduce the animals that will call AMAZONIA home

Check up on the progress periodically. Special viewing areas will be available to observe the construction. From the ground up, it will be a fascinating process to watch! 

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