Submitted Art This is an aerial view of the 12,690-square-foot leopard habitat. The new habitat will be an increase of about 6,500 more usable square feet than in the old big cat complex.

Clover, Roosevelt Park Zoo’s Amur leopard, will have a new home in the near future.

Construction work is progressing on the new leopard habitat in the Minot zoo. The new home for Amur leopards is the former big cat habitat at the zoo. New big cat habitats have been completed for the African lions and Amur tigers. The leopard habitat is the third and final project of the New Habitat for a New Century capital campaign project as part of the zoo’s centennial celebration in 2021. Rolac Contracting Inc of Minot is constructing the leopard habitat.

Jeff Bullock, zoo director, said, as of early April, about 25% of the new leopard habitat has been completed. It is anticipated to be finished in late October depending on weather, etc.

“The contractors have been working steady,” said Bullock.

After its completion, Bullock said the zoo will be getting a pair of Amur leopards to join Clover. They will be coming to the Minot zoo through the Species Survival Program. The pair is expected to arrive in the November-December timeframe and be ready to see visitors in 2023.

For all three cat projects at the zoo, $5,591,342 has been raised, according to Jennifer Kleen, executive director of the Greater Minot Zoological Society. That was the amount as of early April. Of that amount, Parks took out a $2.2 million revenue bond for the cat habitats. The Park District also gave the zoo $808,000 in cash reserves.

“$1,097,285.89 is left to be raised,” Kleen said. Donations continue to be taken for the leopard project.

Zoo 2022 events

The following is a list of a number of zoo activities planned for 2022:

New Hours Spring season starts: Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Zoo Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 8, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

New Hours Summer season starts: Tuesday, May 31, from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Summer Camp: June 1-July 28

Zoo Father’s Day: Sunday, June 19, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

National Zookeeper Week: Sunday, July 17

Bacon & Brew (adults only): Thursday, Aug. 11, 6-9 p.m.

New Hours Fall season starts: Monday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Grandparents Day: Sunday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

New Hours Winter season starts: Monday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Monday-Saturday)

Kids Boo at the Zoo: Saturday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Christmas at the Zoo: Saturday, Dec. 10: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.