SCE and The Tiger Forest

The Amur Tiger Forest exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo has undergone extensive renovation to better meet the needs of both the Amur Tigers and their visitors. The new space has been designed to provide a larger, improved and more natural habitat for the big cats while offering an enhanced learning experience for zoo visitors. The renovated enclosure was designed to provide multiple viewing opportunities, including three large plate glass windows in the viewing structure. Silver Creek Engineering provided the site design and designed all structural components.

The Amur Tiger

The tiger is the biggest cat in the world and the Amurs are the biggest subspecies of tigers. An adult male may stand about 3 feet tall at the shoulder, grow up to 11 feet long and weigh over 600 pounds. Cubs remain with their mother until they are about two years old.

Formerly known as the Siberian tiger, the Amur tiger was renamed when its range was reduced and no longer included Siberia. The reduction in habitable range is one of the reasons that the Amur has become endangered.

Structural Design Components for Viewing Structure

Roof framing system
Heavy timber beam framing supporting wood purlins

and tongue and groove wood decking
Heavy timber posts embedded in concrete foundations
to resist wind and seismic lateral loads
Custom designed and fabricated metal connections,
including bolted knife plates between beams and posts

Site Design Components
Survey of existing exhibit
Review/Approval coordination
with municipal agencies
Site design
        Site grading plan
        Drainage design
        Erosion control

Shotcrete Rockwork and Pool Slab

Modifications to Existing Aviary Mesh
Performed analysis to determine forces in the catenary cables for the new layout
Designed special connections for cables to the new viewing structure