SEATTLE - The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) honored Woodland Park Zoo with a Significant Achievement Award in the Exhibit category for “Jaguar Cove.” Zoo officials accepted the award at the AZA’s 81st Annual Conference meeting in Chicago. “We are honored to win this Significant Achievement Award for Jaguar Cove,” said zoo Deputy Director Bruce Bohmke. “Woodland Park Zoo worked hard to design and build an exhibit that is interesting and educational, highlights conservation projects in both the zoo and in the wild, and provides a naturalistic and stimulating environment for a jaguar to live in.”

A 28-foot-high kapok stump serves as the dramatic entry to Jaguar Cove, the first zoo exhibit in the world with opportunities for underwater viewing of a jaguar swimming. More than 1,900 plants inside and outside the jaguar enclosure help transport visitors to the lush, tropical rain forests of Central and South America, the natural habitat of jaguars. The 3,850-square-foot exhibit represents one of the most naturalistic and most complex exhibits currently dedicated to jaguars in any zoo.

A blend of real and artificial fallen trees, simulated limestone cliffs, a 4_ -foot-deep pool fed by a waterfall, and varied terrain are several characteristics that make the naturalistic environment unique and stimulating for the jaguar. As the jaguar interacts with its environment, visitors are inspired to better appreciate how these muscular cats behave in the wild. A nearby research tent offers a powerful reminder of how multidisciplinary teams of researchers dedicate time and resources to help save endangered jaguars and their shrinking habitats.

Woodland Park Zoo has two jaguars: a 5-year-old male, recently imported from Bolivia, and a 10-year-old male. They are currently on a rotation schedule at Jaguar Cove.

The Exhibit Award is presented by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association for outstanding dedication to conservation issues, construction of exhibit space and replication of species natural habitats.

Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting a standard for zoos all over the world. With conservation, education and excellent animal care at the core of the zoo’s mission, the zoo is helping to save endangered species in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring visitors and others to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.

Founded in 1924, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) and its 211 member institutions and professional members envision a world where all people respect, value and conserve animals and nature. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.