Majestic Bengal Tiger Karma is noisily lapping water from a bowl in her new enclosure.
She has lived at Moorpark Zoo since she was rescued in 2017, but now – thanks to a multi-million dollar project, has a new tailor-made habitat, which she shares with her tiger friend Neil.
"They are seven years old. They were born two weeks apart. They're best friends. They're not lovers. We rescued both of them. And it's important to responsibly care for these animals so they are spayed or neutered and best friends and they've lived together since they were about 12 weeks old," explained Mara Rodriguez, the Zoo Development Co-Ordinator at Moorpark Teaching Zoo.
In three years, a patch of dirt nearly opposite her office has been transformed into a brand new $4.5 million habitat for the tigers.
"There are stairs. There's a bridge. There are glass viewing windows. There is a swimming pool. 8000ft² of usable space. We really wanted to highlight the fact that we're on this hill. So we've built this exhibit into the hillside, and these tigers have a multimillion dollar view," said Rodriguez.
As well as home to Neil and Karma, Moorpark Teaching Zoo is a living classroom for students studying in Moorpark College's animal care and training program. The zoo also has some young schoolchildren visiting, who have a chance to not only see the animals, but learn about them.
Above my head, Neil takes a stroll across a new bridge that connects two halves of the enclosure….and something catches his eye.
"He's walking over the pathway. He's walking very slowly because he's staring at the schoolchildren who might be coming in," explained Rodriguez.
"The tigers both have a vantage point up on the second level of their exhibit, they have an incredible view of the front gate so they can see every single person who walks into this place before we do," she said.
And in their new stare of the art enclosure, Neil and Karma can have a roaring good time checking out their visitors.
