New lion habitat latest sign of progress for South Bend’s Potawatomi Zoo
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A new exhibit is roaring to life this week at the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend.
Zoo leaders cut the ribbon Thursday morning on a new lion habitat that comes as the latest in a string of investments at what Executive Director Josh Sisk says is the region’s most visited attraction.
“It’s just unbelievable the revitalization that’s been happening here at the zoo,” Sisk said. “We are truly becoming a regional destination and the zoo for our region, not just the cute, little community zoo.”
The new Wilma and Peter Veldman Family Lion Habitat makes up the “loud” component of the zoo’s Big & Loud campaign started in 2019, Director of Development Margie Anella said.
It joins recent additions supported by the multimillion-dollar campaign including a new giraffe savannah and watering hole opened last year and a new bear exhibit on track for a soft launch in November.
Each brings significant investment to a small city zoo that once lacked the resources needed to grow. City leaders and private philanthropists came together 10 years ago to launch a new public-private partnership governing the zoo.
Acknowledging the need to reimagine zoo experiences, the Potawatomi team first took on smaller physical projects like the new entrance, gift shop and carousel that greet visitors today.
“It started with almost a million dollar carousel and I think a lot of people thought ‘How will they even do this?’” said Mark Neal, president of the Parks Board of Commissioners. “And now look where we’ve come.”
This latest boost in animal exhibits comes after years of planning and fundraising.
The zoo’s new Laidig Giraffe Conservation Center, opened last year, features a 2.5-acre outdoor habitat and $4.8 million giraffe barn. The $6 million raised for the complete project was funded by a combination of 20 major donors and other smaller gifts, Sisk said. It features a waterfall, 18-foot bronze statue and an elevated overlook for giraffe feeding.
The zoo’s four male giraffes – Seymour, Maximus, Wyatt and Kellan – first arrived at the zoo in December 2021 and, after a ribbon cutting last spring, have chomped away at an average 1,600 to 2,000 pieces of lettuce a day.
Thursday’s ribbon cutting signals the completion of a $1.5 million project to transform the zoo’s former chimpanzee habitat into a spacious home to three lions – Kembe, Shaba and Shtuko. It’s the first time the Zoo’s welcomed lions since its two big cats, Tango and Onyo, died in 2019 and 2021 following age-related issues.
Support for the new lion habitat comes from two major donors — the Laidig and Veldman families — and a 2021 increase to St. Joseph County’s tax on hotel stays, Sisk said. The new habitat also marks the zoo’s first effort to start a lion breeding program.
And, the zoo’s plans for growth continue. The zoo expects to return to ribbon cutting in 2024 for its forthcoming black bear exhibit, and an expansion of its Amur tiger exhibit is in the pipeline. The bear exhibit, currently under construction, is being funded through the county hotel tax and will feature a 6,000-square-foot cafe and events space when completed.
With new attractions wrapping up at a steady clip, zoo leaders say attendance has followed.
The zoo saw 316,000 visitors last year – 100,000 more than in 2019 – and Sisk said his goal is to reach 400,000 visitors “in the near future.”
“This is what a modern zoo is,” Sisk said. “This is what we should be. This is a zoo we should be proud of, getting away from the square cages, getting people up close at the glass so that they can start to build that empathy for wildlife.”