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Yesterday, Audubon Zoo unveiled its latest addition, the Jaguar Jungle: River’s Edge exhibit. It was a picture-perfect spring day in New Orleans, and families came out in droves to explore this expanded section of the zoo, spotting capybaras, tapirs, anteaters, and spider monkeys along the way.

An extension of the beloved Jaguar Jungle exhibit (which first opened in 1998), River’s Edge immerses visitors in the rich history and beauty of Mesoamerica. The exhibit highlights the vital role rivers played in Mayan culture and still play today—as a source of life and a link to nature—inviting guests to see how people have long lived in harmony with their environment.

It’s a strikingly similar picture to traditional life on the rivers and bayous of Louisiana, which is what makes Downtown FabWorks’ role in crafting this portion of the exhibit even sweeter. We enjoyed working with our friends at Broadmoor Construction to make the zoo’s vision come to life.

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The highlight of the new exhibit is an interactive fishing boat that helps zoo guests explore river life from center stage. Designed to reflect Mesoamerica’s deep connection to rivers, the reimagined vessel blends ancient traditions with modern storytelling—no electronics needed.

Downtown FabWorks is proud to have built this standout element that was intentionally designed to be screen-free. Here on the water, kids (and their adults) can turn a real ship’s wheel, shift gears, and shout make-believe commands into a CB radio. Yesterday, we watched multiple little skippers take the helm, lost in the joy of adventure.

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Transforming the interactive fishing boat was an enlightening journey for our team. This wasn’t a replica built from scratch; it began as a vintage wooden Louisiana “lugger,” a fishing boat with decades of history on bayous and shrimp routes. The boat that arrived at our shop was well past its prime, rescued from a front yard in Southern Louisiana thanks to the keen eye of a zoo employee. Being able to help the vessel find its second life as museum exhibit was a satisfying endeavor.

Working in our smaller former shop, we faced unique challenges. (Click here to read more about our new shop facility!) To house the boat during its full restoration, we turned a large tent into a temporary workspace. Every step—from deconstruction to repair—was approached with care, ensuring the vessel would be safe and durable for zoo guests to enjoy for years to come.

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Despite its appearance, the boat isn’t actually floating in its new spot at the zoo. It’s permanently attached to a frame (cribbing) that is bolted to cement piers under the water level. Our technical design team calculated all of the elements that would affect the boat’s positioning in order to design that cribbing structure.

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Watching this immersive zoo exhibit come together through this labor of love was an unforgettable process. And let us tell you, seeing the boat carefully crane-lifted into the back of a flatbed truck and transported the 13 miles from Chalmette, LA, to the zoo? That moment was one for the books.

Once installed in its permanent home, the boat became part of something far bigger than itself—and watching kids have the time of their lives on that thing yesterday was all the proof we needed.

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Jaguar Jungle: River’s Edge feels especially close to our hearts. Maybe it’s the way it connects us to nature, highlighting the rivers’ vital role for people, wildlife, and the lessons they teach about balance and respect. Or perhaps it’s the collaboration—blending ancient wisdom with modern techniques to honor the past and inspire the future.

Most of all, it’s a testament to craftsmanship—carefully shaping every detail so visitors don’t just see the vision but feel like they’re a part of it. This project reminded us why we do what we do: to create stories that last and bring communities together.

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Find out how Downtown FabWorks can help you create unforgettable experiences for your patrons, guests, and clients! We partner with zoos, museums, and other members of the themed attractions and events industries to design and fabricate immersive experiences, themed environments, and more. Visit our website to see how we can bring your vision to life.