By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News

Tigers and grizzlies and moose, oh my!

Roger Williams Park Zoo unveiled their 20-year master plan this week and new animals are very much a part of it.

Dr. Jeremy Goodman, Executive Director of the Zoo, said the plan will be executed in three, $25 million phases.

The first phase includes plans to build a 35-foot Rainforest building. Plans are set to be drafted by next year, and the facility should be open by spring 2017.

“We’re envisioning this building to have lots of birds and primates in and around the building, for people to be able to go into a large building for to see free-flighted animals and go as high as up into a second story canopy as well as go down below the water level and see underwater views of large Amazonian fish,” said Goodman.

Goodman said they surveyed the public about what they wanted to see.

“They told us we want to see more primates and we want to see more carnivores,” he said, adding it wasn’t a surprise: “We knew that.”

The public will get what they want – the second and third phases include the introduction of more animals like penguins and sea lions towards the front of the zoo, tigers in their Asian exhibit, and grizzly bears and moose in a North American area.

Goodman said a lot goes into deciding what animals are selected for the zoo, including researching which can tolerate Rhode Island’s cold winters.

In addition to adding the new animals, the zoo will construct a larger education center, expand parking lots and improve existing structure.

The bulk of the first phase will be paid through $15 million from the voter-approved Clean Water, Open Space and Healthy Communities Bond. Goodman said they are looking to raise the additional $10 million necessary for the first project, and will seek additional bonds and funding for phases two and three.