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Big Cats of Arizona | Inside the Phoenix Zoo’s new habitat for mountain lion and jaguars

Grand Opening to the public is on Saturday, April 5

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By: Nicole Gutierrez

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PHOENIX — The Phoenix Zoo, along with the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation (ACNC), officially opens ‘Big Cats of Arizona’ this April.

According to the zoo, more than $5.3 million was raised "thanks to the generosity of donors" to build the new habitat for mountain lions and jaguars.

“We have this awesome tower here in the middle that doesn't really have too much plant life on it, but […] these leaves are actually going to grow all the way to the top, and you're just going to see nothing but a green pillar down in the middle of all these habitats,” said Hidalgo. “Granted, it's a plant, so it's going to take some time to grow, and we're going to hope on some good rainy weather to encourage that.”

The new habitat is home for the zoo’s two jaguars, Caipora and Saban, and the mountain lion Mystic. Another mountain lion, Sierra, was going to be a part of the new habitat, but the 17-year-old female died due to renal failure.

The new space promises a new up-close experience to these big cats like never before and new living amenities for the tenants.

In the video below you ABC15’s Nicole Gutierrez and Joaquin Hidalgo of the Phoenix Zoo tour ‘Big Cats of Arizona.’

The Phoenix Zoo debuts ‘Big Cats of Arizona,’ a new habitat for mountain lion and jaguars

The new habitat’s layout lets zoo goers get up close to Caipora, Saban, and Mystic.

“We have two pretty big things added to this exhibit that are awesome for guests. We have our catwalk, so our Jaguar can actually walk right over you, and you get to be pretty much right under [the jaguar(s)],” explained Joaquin Hidalgo, Marketing & Communications Coordinator of the Phoenix Zoo. “But we also have our pool. Our pool is half water and half like the top view, so you can see our Jaguars actually swimming if he decides to go in there,” he added.

“Just like us, these guys [jaguars] get hot- even though they're from a hot region, that doesn't mean they like to be in it. So, they have a lot of fans, swamp coolers, and, of course, a big ol’ pool,” said Hidalgo.

The new habitat is inevitably also an opportunity to learn about these big cats.

“It gives us a brand-new opportunity to educate guests on the wonders of the natural world," Hidalgo said. "Animals like mountain lions and jaguars are something that we always hear about here in Arizona, but we never get a chance to really see them, probably for the best, right? You don't want to run into a jaguar or mountain lion in the wild, but we want you to understand that these animals are not monsters, and that they are actually so important to their ecosystems, and that the Phoenix Zoo is a pinnacle for conservation here, and all the work we do supports these animals, not just on the habitats here, but out in the wild as well."