The Woodland Park Zoo today unveiled its plans for the new tiger and sloth bear exhibits to open in 2013 and 2014.

The two-acre exhibit complex is the zoo's most ambitious project since the 1996 Trail of Vines construction and the zoo hopes to give visitors a sense of the tropical forests of Asia, featuring endangered turtles, colorful songbirds, squealing small-clawed otters, foraging sloth bears and tigers.

The $19.6 million exhibit will transform the current 60-year-old, outdated tiger and sloth bear exhibits into a "spacious, naturalistic and state-of-the-art home for these endangered species," according to the zoo.

According to the zoo, the exhibit complex will use sustainable design to provide the animals with a naturalistic, enriching environment that evokes lush forests and encourages natural behaviors.

To bring the behind-the-scenes care of these animals into the forefront for zoo visitors, the exhibit design includes specialized training stations where keepers will interact one-on-one with tigers and sloth bears. These training presentations will get visitors closer to live predators than at any other exhibit at the zoo.

To take immersion to the next level, the exhibit will feature symphonic sounds of the forest - flowing water, wind blowing through bamboo thickets, and even the minutest sounds of the animals.

“We have no doubt our more than one million annual visitors will be in awe of this new exhibit experience that will connect them with hands-on learning and unforgettable, up-close animal encounters,” said Dr. Deborah Jensen, President and CEO of Woodland Park Zoo, in a press release. “But we see that awe as just a starting point, the kernel of curiosity, hope and inspiration that moves our visitors to take action on behalf of wildlife.”

Artist renderings of the design plans can now be found at http://www.morewonder.org. The public will have the opportunity to see and discuss these renderings and a scale model of the planned exhibit at upcoming open houses scheduled on Sat., March 31, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Woodland Park Zoo’s current tiger exhibit (zoo admission or membership required) and Thurs., April 3, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the ZooStore in the zoo’s West Entrance (free to all).

Construction for the new exhibit complex is anticipated to begin in fall 2012. The exhibit will be developed in two phases: phase one, including otters and the children’s play area, will open in 2013 and phase two, including sloth bears and Malayan tigers, will open in 2014.

The $19.6 million exhibit project is part of the zoo’s $21.86 million Asian Tropical Forest initiative which also includes exhibit enhancements in the zoo’s award-winning Elephant Forest exhibit, interpretive enhancements to improve the visitor experience in the Elephant Forest and Trail of Vines exhibits, and related education and conservation programming. The Asian Tropical Forest initiative is one of eight initiatives in the zoo’s $80 million More Wonder More Wild comprehensive campaign.

Fundraising for the Asian Tropical Forest initiative is underway now and more than $6 million has already been raised to date toward the $21.86 million goal. Through the zoo’s “Get Your Paws on Our New Exhibit” promotion, community members who give $1,000 or more to the Asian Tropical Forest initiative will get their name on a paw print featured prominently in the new exhibit complex.