Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) affirmed that Tallinn Zoo is doing a commendable job in nature education, species protection and research, at home and internationally. "Unquestionably, the new exhibition building will create significantly better conditions and opportunities for this," said Kõlvart.

"But the zoo is also a popular destination for family tourism, and I believe that the Cloud Forest will become an attractive place to visit for both domestic and foreign tourists. The new exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of the rich biodiversity of the rainforests of Southeast Asia and offers the joy of discovery to visitors of all ages," the mayor said.

Five different areas are planned in the Cloud Forest - a cave, a tunnel, a greenhouse, a forest and a terrarium - and a small restaurant with a view of the rainforest and the Tiger Valley.

Tallinn Zoo director Tiit Maran said that passing through the exposition will be like a journey through Southeast Asia. "A key role in introducing the biota there is in the greenhouse, but a comprehensive visiting experience will also consist of the tunnel leading from the entrance to the rainforest, the interactive gallery following the greenhouse and the views of the rainforest from the cafeteria," Maran said.

"In addition to introducing thematic fauna, we want to give visitors the whole picture of the rainforest ecosystem. We consider it important to present living beings as part of their environment, giving the visitor an understanding of the connections and relationships between the elements of the forest, thereby also increasing environmental awareness," the zoo director added.

The Cloud Forest to be established at Tallinn Zoo does not copy any existing rainforest exposition in the world. According to Maran, this is an original project born from cooperation with zoo designers, which will result in an entirely unique building.

The exhibition building of the tropical rainforest of Southeast Asia at Tallinn Zoo (Ehitajate tee 150) is being built by Ehitus5ECO OÜ, and the designer of the building is ConArte OÜ. The total cost of the project is €5.28 million, of which the support from the city is €2.79 million and the support of Enterprise Estonia from the European Regional Development Fund is €2.49 million.

The Cloud Forest exhibition building will be completed on July 2022, but it will not be opened to visitors until April 2023, since plants and animals will need time to adapt.

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