Denver Zoo officials and Mayor Michael Hancock this morning announced a partnership with the Denver Toyota Dealers Association that will result in the new exhibit for Asian elephants, rhinos and tapirs being named “Toyota Elephant Passage.”
The deal is valued at $5.4 million, making it the second-largest donation to the zoo. The largest was $7 million, by Janus in 2004.
The $50 million exhibit is scheduled to open June 1.
Zoo President and CEO Craig Piper said the new exhibit, which includes more than 2 miles of trails and 1 million gallons of water features for its animal inhabitants, was the most significant in the zoo’s 115-year history.
“We’re not just 80 acres in City Park,” Piper said at Monday’s announcement. “We’re people working all over the world to preserve many species.
Asian elephants, including bulls, greater one-horned rhinos and Malayan tapirs are the new stars of the exhibit, but it also will include fishing cats, small-clawed otters and flying foxes (bats). Animals are beginning to move into the their new digs.
Toyota’s fuel-efficiency goals and the launch of the new Prius vehicles make it a good fit with the Denver Zoo’s commitment to field conservation of species and cutting-edge energy-saving practices, said dealers association spokesman Jeff Thorpe, Go Toyota general manager.
Representatives of the association’s seven local Toyota stores were on hand for the announcment at the zoo Monday morning, almost two years to the date of the exhibit’s groundbreaking.
Denver voters authorized $62.5 million in bond funds for Denver Zoo improvements in 1999. The zoo committed to raise an additional $55 million in private funds. With the $117.5 million the zoo completes the first two phases of four phases of a master plan.
Other improvements have included Predator Ridge, Congo Basin, Lorikeet Adventure, the bird-propagation center, zoo-entrance complex and parking garage.
More than 3,000 people have donated to Toyota Elephant Passage, Piper said, and support is still needed for the zoo’s innovative biomass gasification system to power the exhibit.
The system will convert animal waste and zoo visitors’ trash into energy.
Hancock said the zoo was one of his favorite spots in Denver. Piper said the zoo, with 1.9 million visitors in 2010, was the most visited cultural attraction in the state and the fourth most-visited zoo in the country.
“Whatever we do, we do it first class,” zoo Trustee Tom Siratovich said.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com
