(WXYZ) — A highly anticipated new area at the Detroit Zoo is set to open this spring. According to zoo officials, the Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails will officially open to the public on Saturday, May 23.
Announced in October 2024, the 7-acre Discovery Trails is an area designed to immerse guests in an interactive adventure with connections to the animals and nature.
People exploring the trails can brush goats, get up close to burrowing owls and prairie dogs, walk on an elevated trail, check out the stingray touch experience and more.
“Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails is a joyful new addition to the Detroit Zoo, and a wonderful way for families to experience the Zoo together,” said Dr. Hayley Murphy, the executive director and CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society. “This is a place where guests can touch, climb, play and explore while making meaningful connections with animals and the natural world, and every person who enters this space will come away with a new appreciation for the world around them.”
According to the zoo, every part of the trails is intended to help people get closer to nature through play and hands-on discovery.
Animals in the area include alpacas, anteaters, bamboo sharks, burrowing owls, bush dogs, chickens, donkeys, goats, prairie dogs and stingrays
“That sense of connection is at the heart of Erb Discovery Trails,” said Randi Hamilton, the DZS’s chief experience officer. “It invites guests to slow down, look closer and be active participants in their experience, creating moments that are fun, memorable and meaningful. We believe those moments can inspire a deeper appreciation for animals, nature and conservation.”
