IndIanapolIs Zoo annual RepoRt 2011

eye oF tHe tIGeR
There’s nothing like staring an Amur tiger in the eye from
an inch away to concentrate the mind. With the opening
of Tiger Forest presented by Citizens Energy Group,
more Zoo visitors experienced the beauty, grace, power,
strength, exotic looks, predatory nature, and sheer magic
of this magnificent animal. Among the iconic wild animals
that epitomize the threat of extinction, the endangered
Amur tiger stands as a powerful symbol of a future that
could be empty of some of the natural world’s most
significant animals.
Almost all wild Amur tigers live the Southeast corner
of Russia in the Sikhote–Alin mountain range east of
the Amur River. They are the largest of the five remaining
tiger species. Considered a critically endangered species,
the tigers’ primary threats to its survival in the wild are
poaching and habitat loss from intensive logging and
development. Once numbered in the thousands, there
are perhaps only 350–450 Amur tigers left in the wild
and about an equal number in human care, including
three at our zoo.
The Tiger Forest exhibit features a wooded landscape
with fallen trees, a meandering stream, and, most
importantly, a window into the lair of the tigers
themselves. The expansive glass, only an inch and a half
thick, allows tigers and humans to encounter each other
up close and personal, and while the tigers show a great
deal of interest in the humans, the humans are absolutely
fascinated by the experience of being so engaged with
these stunning big cats.
A daily tiger chat brings the cats even closer and gives
keepers an opportunity to deliver a message about tiger
conservation. Exhibit signs tell the story of wild tigers
and the vital research being done by Dr. Linda Kerley and
Misha Borisenko, as they track tigers deep inside their
last refuge on Earth, the towering forests of eastern
Russia–– research that is supported by funds from the
Indianapolis Zoo and that will help secure the future for
the magnificent Amur tiger.
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