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Our two female Amur leopards, Katya and Polina, are currently living in temporary indoor and outdoor quarters near our animal hospital while their future exhibit and holding areas in Russia’s Grizzly Coast are being completed. Although still being cared for by keepers from our Animal Health staff, Katya and Polina have also begun training with their future permanent keepers. The two Amur leopards are easily told apart not just by their distinctive patterns of spots, but also by their very different personalities. Katya is much bolder and outgoing at this point than Polina, although both cats are showing interest in both training and their new trainers.
Katya and Polina are sisters, born in October 2006, that came to us from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Currently we are working on target training the leopards. For example, Katya has quickly learned that if she touches her nose to a target, she will receive a treat.
Our training program is intended to build trust between leopard and keeper, and to aid the cats in adjusting to their new surroundings. It will also simplify many animal care activities such as weighing the leopards, performing medical procedures, and shifting animals from their overnight holding areas to their exhibit.
Amur leopards are the rarest of all wild cats, with only 30 to 40 surviving in the Russian Far East. Fortunately, over 200 Amur leopards are being cooperatively managed in zoos and plans are being developed that may allow descendants of some of these leopards to be reintroduced into a portion of their former range. As we train Katya and Polina, it is exciting to reflect that some day their cubs may be trained to once again wander the Russian wilderness.
Fred Swengel & Jerry Holzer
Northern Trail Keepers
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The bears are coming! Orphaned bear cubs “Sadie,” “Haines,” and “Kenai” – now all grown up – will soon make the trip from their temporary home in Alaska to their permanent home at the Minnesota Zoo's Russia's Grizzly Coast exhibit.
We have been very busy over the past 20 months building the new 3.5 acre exhibit. But you won't really see a lot of the facilities and structures we have built because they are mostly concealed from the public eye. In reality, Mortenson Construction has placed and poured nearly 4,000 cubic yards of concrete to create foundations, the large pools for the bears and otters to swim in, the walls of the bear moat, the holding areas for the bears and otters, and the life support building. That's enough concrete to pour to a four-inch thick by five-foot wide sidewalk from the Zoo to downtown St. Paul!
What you will see as a guest is the incredible vision and talent of the designers and artists. They have recreated the dramatic volcanic landscape of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, home of Russia's version of the grizzly bear. You will see elaborate rock formations, an eroded sandstone sea cave, a room-sized lava tube, geysers, mud pots, and natural landscapes. Their artistry is truly incredible and transports you to the Russian Far East wilderness.
In less than two months, Russia's Grizzly Coast will open to the public with a weekend full of grand opening activities. It is only through the hard work of everyone involved–designers, artists, subcontractors, an owner's representative, and the Minnesota Zoo–that we could together create this spectacular, multi-sensory exhibit complete with animals and landscapes. It is a true testament to the Zoo's passion and their vision for the future.
We all look forward to meeting the animals and welcoming them to their new home!
Kenneth L. Sorensen
Vice President
Mortenson Construction
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Starting June 7, 2008, guests to the Minnesota Zoo will at long last be able to enjoy the playful antics of Alaskan sea otters in their new home – Russia’s Grizzly Coast. The sea otters are currently residing at the zoo in a special behind-the-scenes holding area while the final touches are made on their new home. The otters’ arrival prior to the opening of Russia’s Grizzly Coast has allowed their keepers time to get to know each animal, acclimate them to living together, and progress their training to help prepare them for the move into the new sea otter exhibit.
The Minnesota Zoo welcomed the first sea otters in December of 2006 when “Capers,” a young male, and “Kachemak,” an adult female, arrived. In August of 2007, the Zoo welcomed two additional otters when orphaned pups “Jasper” and “Rocky,” arrived from the Alaska SeaLife Center, a rehabilitation center in Seward, Alaska. Upon their arrival, the pups were receiving 24-hour care in their behind-the-scenes home. Keepers were feeding them every 3-4 hours, helping them groom, playing with them, monitoring their swimming progress in shallow “kiddie” pools and monitoring their sleep cycles. The ultimate goal for the sea otters was to have all four otters living together upon moving to the new Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit. The staff and the otter pups had many milestones to reach before young Jasper and Rocky could be introduced to Capers and Kachemak.
The keepers worked diligently to wean Jasper and Rocky from their around-the-clock bottle feedings to eating whole shrimp, fish, clam, and squid. The pups even learned to crack open the shells of mussels and crabs with one chomp of their small but powerful jaws. The pups quickly grew and became more independent. With the help of their surrogate human parents, they learned to feed, groom, swim and dive on their own. Once Jasper and Rocky were fully weaned and had graduated from their shallow “kiddie” pools to the larger 6’ behind-the-scenes holding pool, the keepers knew it was time to introduce the pups to the adults and let them learn to interact with their new pool mates.
The keepers decided to first introduce the pups to Kachemak–the eldest, calmer and more socially-experienced otter. Prior to this, the otters had shared the same water but had been separated by a mesh barrier that divided their holding pool. Seeing each other through the barrier had allowed the otters to get to know each other and interact in a safe and controlled manner. Jasper and Rocky were a bit wary of Kachemak upon first introduction, but their comfort level increased steadily and within a few weeks the pups and Kachemak were participating in training sessions together, eating together, grooming together and even resting together.
The final introduction came on February 27 when Capers was finally allowed to meet Jasper and Rocky. Keepers watched anxiously as the barrier was opened and all four otters were allowed to interact for the first time. Capers had never before met younger animals and there was the potential that an older male could be aggressive or territorial when in the same environment as a younger male.
Any anxiety for Jasper and Rocky’s well being quickly subsided as it became evident that the pups were overly eager to meet Capers and their rambunctiousness initially caused Capers to flee from their playful advances! Although Capers was initially caught off-guard by the pups’ forwardness, the otters’ interactions soon proved to be equal and we began seeing mutual interest between the otters. 
Today, all four sea otters are residing together in their behind-the-scenes holding area and are often seen wrestling, playing and on occasion even resting together. The staff is anxiously awaiting the completion of Russia’s Grizzly Coast and for the day we can move the otters into their new home! Stay tuned for further updates on the progress of our otters and their next major milestone of moving into their new home!
Melanie, marine mammal trainer
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One of the exciting aspects of building a new exhibit is our ability to “rethink” how we do business and the amenities or services we provide. We are pleased to present a new educational and meeting facility for the community. Our new state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly Education Event Center will provide a dynamic and elegant space for education programs, meetings, and events. It will be a beautiful space with direct access to our parking areas and to the amazing animal experiences of Russia’s Grizzly Coast. But more than this, the new facility will be the Zoo’s first truly “green” building, utilizing many sustainable design strategies and operational principles to reduce energy use and minimize environmental impact.
A vegetated “green roof” and earth berms will capture rainfall runoff and reduce heating and cooling requirements. Geothermal wells allow the Zoo to harness the Earth’s energy to assist with temperature regulation. Skylights and operable windows will reduce lighting requirements. Recycled products are used throughout the building including wood, carpet, steel, paneling, glass, porcelain tiles, low VOC/odor paints, and much more. Most products for the Center are manufactured within 500 miles of the project site to reduce transportation costs and fuel emissions.
We are excited for our first “green” building and we intend to seek certification with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED is a rating system established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) in which points are given for documented achievement or performance in five environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Points are also garnered for Innovation and Design. The Zoo’s new Education Event Center uses strategies in all of these categories and will set a new standard for future Zoo buildings.
The Russia’s Grizzly Coast Education Event Center is a highly-visible demonstration of our commitment to finding more environmentally-sound ways to keep our guests and inhabitants comfortable. As Minnesota’s largest environmental education provider, we think that’s essential.
Lee C. Ehmke
Director / CEO Minnesota Zoo
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It's hard to believe that we have just 100 days left until Russia's Grizzly Coast (RGC) opens. The project—the biggest ever in the Zoo's history—has taken a huge investment of time, expertise, and money to get to this stage. We started planning this new exhibit back in 2002, and construction has been underway for 20 months. Over the years, we've built a great team of Zoo staff, project managers, designers, and a talented group of contractors under the direction of MA Mortenson Company, all focused on delivering a fantastic experience for our guests and a beautiful and comfortable home for the many new animals who will call "RGC" home.
In just the past few weeks, we've watched with excitement as the spectacular rocky pools for our bears and otters have been filled with water for the first time. In temporary heated "tents," world-class exhibit specialists are finishing off the remarkably realistic recreations of Russian coastal rock formations, geyser fields, and boulder-strewn hillsides. Right next to RGC, another active construction site is rapidly taking shape as our brand-new Central Plaza rises out of the ground. Half a continent away, in a Colorado artist's studio, stunning life-sized animal sculptures that will enliven the plaza are being fabricated. And even as this long, hard winter continues, it's already possible to see the dramatic landscapes that will envelop guests and animals alike: groves of birch and aspen, dense stands of spruce and fir, and—under the snow—grassy meadows will soon burst with wildflowers and blueberry bushes for our bears to snack on (when they're not busy trying to catch live trout in their deep pool)!
In various locations around the Zoo, many of the soon-to-be inhabitants of RGC are now under the careful watch of our animal keepers and veterinary staff: four sea otters, two wild boars, and two Amur leopards are all doing well in their temporary homes behind-the-scenes. In just a few weeks, after final work is completed in the animal management spaces of RGC, our three bears will be flown from Alaska to be introduced to their new "Russian" home here in Minnesota!
There are still a million and one details that need to be addressed, but the momentum is there to get it all done. I personally cannot wait to invite everyone to experience Russia's Grizzly Coast and the Central Plaza—it's going to feel like a whole new Zoo, and will set the stage for many more great things to come in the years ahead.
Lee C. Ehmke
Director / CEO Minnesota Zoo
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