Utah's Hogle Zoo
Asian Highlands
The Asian Highlands exhibit depicts a small Himalayan village nestled in the mountains of the continent of Asia. Here, guests will get a spectacular view of the animals that are native to this area such as snow leopards, Amur tigers, Pallas’ cats, Amur leopards, and Chinese red pandas.
Visiting the zoo in the fall or winter? Asian Highlands is a must-see exhibit to see these resident animals in colder temperatures. They enjoy the snow and the cold because of how similar Utah’s winter climate is to their native environment of the Himalayas.
Asian Highlands opened in 2006 after the old feline building was renovated. In 2018, the exhibit was expanded to house red pandas.
At a Glance:
- Built in 2006
- Red panda habitat added in 2018
- Themed after the Himalayan region of Asia
- Contains flexible exhibit spaces that can rotate species
- Cultural prayer flags can be found hanging around the areas
- Big cats love the wintertime and are more active when its cold
Asian Highlands resident animals:
Snow leopard cubs Pavlova and Bhutan, along with their mom Babs, moved to the south habitat in Asian Highlands late last year. Since then, they’ve become acclimated to their new space and enjoy playing with various enrichment. Be sure to visit them on your next zoo visit! See the cubs playing→
Exhibit features:
The Janet Quinney Lawson
Red Panda Exhibit
The Janet Quinney Lawson Red Panda Exhibit was made possible by a generous donation from the Quinney Foundation as well as numerous donations from other red panda lovers. The exhibit has been open since May 2, 2018.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo is home to Chinese red pandas, William and Kiaria. The exhibit is equipped with a recirculating water feature and several cooling spots. If you stop by to see William and Kiaria, you can get 36-degree viewing angles from the upper dining deck of the Asian Highlands and in two other locations at his exhibit.
Red pandas are an endangered species native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Often confused for a raccoon or fox, the red panda is mainly active at dawn and dusk and mostly eats bamboo. Thick, red fur covers their entire body (including the soles of their feet) to conserve body heat.
Cat Wok Café
While exploring the Asian Highlands exhibit, be sure to stop in our Cat Wok Café. This eatery has an assortment of cold treats and drinks— everything you need to cool off on a hot summer’s day. Soft serve, ICEE, and frozen novelties of all kinds are available. We are also excited to announce a partnership with a local favorite— Cloud 9th Creamery. They handmake ice cream just for us, so have a scoop or two of the Red Panda Swirl.
Open during the summer months.
