ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Some major changes are happening behind the scenes at the Detroit Zoo, in the form of a new seven-acre “Discovery Trails” area.
Administrators and staff said they’re excited about what’s to come, as the Detroit Zoo prepares to transform that plot of land.
“This is a real effort at emersion and nature connecting kids to animals,” said Dr. Hayley Murphy, CEO and Executive Director of The Detroit Zoological Society.
Plans about the new Discovery Trails were officially announced on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
The new attraction will include a 14-foot-high canopy trail. Accessibility features will be built into Discovery Trails. A stingray and bamboo shark pavilion will be added, too.
Children will be able to visit a farmer’s market onsite. There will be a barnyard where visitors can pet animals, including goats and chickens. Visitors will also be able to get up close with anteaters , bush dogs, and other animals.
“We’re bringing in alpacas and miniature donkeys,” Murphy said. “There will be prairie dogs and burrowing owls. So, a whole new experience here at the zoo. We’re so excited about it.”
Planning for the Discovery Trails started a few years ago. However, the COVID pandemic brought things to a halt. The project resumed about three years ago.
“We’ve really been working on the data and the science behind the educational journey for the seven acres, and also how to create just an exciting space for our community,” Murphy said.
Administrators with The Detroit Zoological Society said the goal is to create an environment where families, school groups, and more children can have a different, innovative, and immersive experience at the zoo. It will be something different than what the zoo already offers.
“This is very different for us,” Murphy said.
The new Discovery Trails is expected to be a space The Detroit Zoo is dedicating to the joy of nature and discovery. Seven acres is a very large space for this type of project.
The sting ray and bamboo shark habitat will be a first for The Detroit Zoo. It will help teach visitors about how important water is to the Great Lakes region.
Administrators want the public and members of the Tri-County area to consider the new Discovery Trails a gathering place. They said it will be a space where they anticipate people can come to relax, play, connect, and appreciate the nature around them.
“We really want to have people understand that we’re trying to foster this empathy for animals and nature,” Murphy said. “We know that future conservationists start when they are little. So, we really want to get those young people in our region to come to the zoo and to enjoy this space, and to really share in our connection with animals and nature.”
Visitors will begin seeing a lot of activity and excitement around the construction fences at the zoo. Vertical supports will soon go up for the 14-foot-high canopy.
The Discovery Trails is expected to open to the public in 2026.