Detroit Zoo
Northern Log Supplies Wood Products for Otter and Giraffe Exhibits
As one of Michigan’s largest family attractions, the Detroit Zoo is home to more than 2,100 animals of 230 species. It’s a great place to watch cute little otters splash around in the water or hand-feed the giraffes. Now, it’s an even better place to visit, thanks to a few upgrades made to both of these exhibits.
In 2017, Northern Log Supply worked with the Detroit Zoo and Builder Nick Piziali to renovate the otter and giraffe exhibits. For this project, the zoo wanted to renovate the otters’ 2,500-square-foot exhibit, which incorporates both indoor and outdoor living environments. This meant covering up the old, outdated tile on the walls with half log siding and installing wood paneling on the ceiling to create a more natural look indoors, as well as spruce up the outdoor oasis with log trim and corners.
The zoo also needed to build a new fenced enclosure for the giraffes’ African Grasslands habitat. Being the tallest mammals in the world, the fence needed to be 200-feet long and 8-feet tall for the giraffes.
Wood Products Supplied by Northern Log Supply for the Detroit Zoo
For the otter exhibit:
Hand-peeled half log siding
Pine vertical corners
Hand-peeled pine outside and inside corners
1x6 white pine tongue and groove paneling for soffits and ceiling
For the giraffe exhibit:
Half pine logs of varying sizes: 4”-8” and 8’-10’
Northern Log Supply halved, removed the bark, and power washed all logs before installation.
Detroit Zoo Giraffe Exhibit Photo Gallery
Detroit Zoo Otter Exhibit Photo Gallery
Choose Northern Log for Your Commercial Wood Products
Our commercial clients count on us to help them create special ambiance with all natural wood, sourced in the USA. We regularly provide timbers, custom milled logs, trusses, siding, and railings for log home builders, architectural firms, and commercial construction companies to complete projects of all shapes and sizes. Contact us to see how we can supply your next project.