The Edmonton Valley Zoo is building an exhibit that will include a new home for the facility’s red pandas.
The exhibit is called “Nature’s Wild Backyard” and will feature a new habitat for the pandas and an urban farm.
Tammy Wiebe, executive director of the society, said the new exhibit will allow the zoo to participate in conservation programs that work to save and protect red pandas.
“All of our new builds incorporate learning through play, learning centres, education -- all about making our future citizens care about the animals we share the planet with and learn about the environment they occupy,” Wiebe said.
She said it is critical the urban barn gets an upgrade because it hasn’t been renovated since the zoo opened 59 years ago.
“The zoo has always been open year round, but we don’t necssarily have the infrastructure to keep the animals out year round,” she explained. “We will have this beautiful barn that people can visit year round, and see the animals inside.”
Nature’s Wild Backyard has a $25-million price tag, with the city paying for the bulk of it.
On Friday, the province announced it is contributing $575,000.
The zoo has started constructing the first phase of the project and the exhibit is expected to be complete early next year.
