Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat

Siegfried & Roy's white tigers went from famous to infamous when one of them either did what tigers all do eventually and attacked his owner/trainer, or -- depending on whether you buy the following story -- helped said owner/trainer when the latter was having a medical emergency. Either way this saga is played, it explains why the Secret Garden attraction is still up; no matter what, the tiger is not to blame. Here, white lions, Bengal tigers, an Asian elephant, a panther, and a snow leopard join the white tigers. (The culprit, Montecore, may sometimes be on exhibit.) It's really just a glorified zoo, featuring only the big-ticket animals; however, it is a very pretty place, with plenty of foliage and some bits of Indian- and Asian-themed architecture. Zoo purists will be horrified at the smallish spaces the animals occupy, but all the animals are rotated between here and their more lavish digs at the illusionist team's home. What this does allow you to do is get safely close to a tiger, which is quite a thrill -- those paws are massive indeed.

The Dolphin Habitat is more satisfying than the Secret Garden. It was designed to provide a nurturing environment and to educate the public about marine mammals and their role in the ecosystem. Specialists worldwide were consulted in creating the habitat. The pool is more than eight times larger than government regulations require, and its 2.5 million gallons of human-made seawater are cycled and cleaned every 2 hours. The Mirage displays only dolphins already in captivity -- no dolphins are taken from the wild. You can watch the dolphins frolic both above and below ground through viewing windows, in three different pools. The knowledgeable staff members, who surely have the best jobs in Vegas, will answer questions. If they aren't doing it already, ask them to play ball with the dolphins; they toss large beach balls into the pools, and the dolphins hit them out with their noses, leaping out of the water, cackling with dolphin glee. You catch the ball, getting nicely wet, and toss it back to them. If you have never played ball with a dolphin, shove that happy child next to you out of the way and go for it. You can stay as long as you like, which might just be hours. True dolphin fanatics can become a trainer for a day complete with pool time for $550.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Back to Top