This summer, Buffalo Zoo implemented another portion of their 15 Year Master Plan, created in 2002. The Phase I addition is the South American portion of the geographically organized master plan. The M&T Rainforest Falls is a two-story building housing a collection of animals representing the tropical rainforest. The exhibit "replicates the unique geology and ecology of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, home to Angel Falls - the tallest waterfall in the world." Featuring a 25' waterfall, the exhibit incorporates lush vegetation and beautiful graphics into an immersive environment.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8TqlSfns9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1] The subsequent phases of the Zoo's master plan include a new entry plaza, an Asian river and highlands zone, an African savannah, and an Arctic zone. The overall plan organizes itself around the theme of water, and I'm especially interested to see how successfully the guests pick up on the message.