The $20 million exhibit is already fully funded by the Omaha Zoo Foundation. It’s significantly less expensive than 2016’s African Grasslands, which cost $73 million, but Pate said it’s on par financially with projects planned in the near future. Including this project, the zoo has dedicated more than $160 million to building new exhibits and infrastructure in this decade.

Asian Highlands is the next in a long line of projects as the zoo transitions from one that groups its animals by relatedness into one that groups them by their region of the world. Pate said that approach is more educational.

“It allows us to show where these animals come from, what type of landscapes are there,” he said. “In (African Grasslands), we’re able to do a lot of grasses and architecture that gives a kid walking through there a major hint that this is Africa because of the thatch roofs. That’s what we’re trying to do here.”

If you can’t wait until 2018 for the exhibit to open, you might get a preview. Zoogoers will get a sneak peek at one of the exhibit’s most adorable animals this fall.

Cassidy said the zoo plans to display red pandas early. They’ll cuddle up in a temporary home in the Cat Complex sometime later this year.