Engineering The Cheetah Exhibit

The cheetah may be the fastest animal on land, but creating a new home for it at The Indianapolis Zoo has taken more than three years of careful planning. While the exhibit was being designed and constructed, the zoo staff was busy locating and preparing for its five new inhabitants. In the summer of 2010, the exhibit was finally opened to the public as Cheetah: The Race For Survival.

Silver Creek Engineering designed all structural components for the exhibit, including the Holding Building and adjacent retaining walls, the Pedestrian Bridge, and the Viewing Structure. We designed the roof supports, structural columns, load bearing walls, foundation systems, and the lateral load resisting system.

We also provided the site design for the exhibit, including the grading and drainage systems. We designed grading, ditches, a detention/retention system, piping, and flow control devices. We provided the design and details for pavements, sidewalks, pads and curbs and supplied plans detailing erosion control methods during and after construction.

The Bat-Eared Fox:
Cheetah Companion

Bat-eared foxes, like cheetahs, live on the open savannahs of Africa. For this reason, they were included as part of the new exhibit. With ears over five inches tall, they contribute to the welfare of the savannah by eating a variety of insects, including grasshoppers, scorpions and spiders. But their favorite meal is the termite. In fact, an adult eats about 1.15 million termites annually. Silver Creek Engineering designed the catenary cable structure that supports the overhead mesh netting in the exhibit.

No, it's not the Zoo's newest exhibit. It's the Silver Creek Engineering "Animal Foursome" at the 2010 Golfari Charity Golf Outing. Proceeds from the event support the mission and programs of the Zoo.
Pictured left to right: Kevin Hazel, Chad Hazel, Todd Chariton, and Kevin Sumner.

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