Mirage Hotel & Casino   

3400 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-791-7111
www.miragehabitat.com

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Though its collection of approximately 50 exotic animals is small by zoo standards, the Secret Garden (originally inspired by Siegfried & Roy) boasts more rare creatures than any other single exhibit. The magical duo's famed white tigers are joined by heterozygous tigers, a snow leopard and the white lions that are legendary in Africa as symbols of good fortune. The garden is also home to an Asian elephant, a black panther and an adjacent Dolphin Habitat in which seven bottlenose dolphins frolic in four interconnected salt pools. Free audio tours provide detailed information about each animal and describe Siegfried & Roy's ongoing conservation efforts to ensure that future generations can experience the same sense of wonder for these amazing species. The Big Thrills: If the animals look happy, it's because their accommodations are first-class. Obviously none of the species are native to Las Vegas, but when you walk through the Secret Garden it feels as if you've entered the animals' world, not the other way around. Soothing music (available on CD in the gift shop) plays within the enclosures, the big cats are surrounded by foliage native to their natural habitat and the dolphins are looked after by a full-time staff of marine biologists, who also narrate a video presentation of a dolphin birth at the Mirage. Tips and Hints: With its plethora of cool, shady zones, the Secret Garden has become a popular place to escape the summer heat. But it's also a favorite field trip destination for area schools, so it's best to visit after noon to avoid roving packs of kids.