Remember Siegfried and Roy? Their legacy lives on in this Secret Garden. The Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat is a true testament to their vision.
It is not just entertainment. Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden is also about education. This Las Vegas attraction is known for its educational benefits and entertainment value. The Secret Garden opened in 1990. It coincided with Siegfried and Roy’s residency at The Mirage.
The habitat houses white tigers. These tigers once starred in Siegfried & Roy’s show. The Secret Garden is also home to dolphins. Four generations of dolphins have lived here. The birth of baby dolphins is always a major event. School field trips are common here. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come each year. Some even swim with the dolphins creating lasting memories.
Beyond the dolphins and tigers lies even more. Leopards and lions also reside here. The Sustainability Discovery Center teaches about wildlife preservation. It also teaches about water conservation and ocean pollution.
Before entering the Secret Garden, observe the Dolphin Habitat. This 2.5-million-gallon habitat houses Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Its purpose is to provide a nurturing environment for dolphins. It also aims to educate the public about marine mammals and their role in the ecosystem. The habitat features four connected pools. An artificial coral reef system and a sandy bottom mimic the dolphins’ natural environment. Most dolphins were born here. The remaining few were relocated from other facilities.
Consider joining the Trainer for a Day program. The day starts at 9:45 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. You can swim and play with dolphins. You will also feed and train them under supervision. A souvenir package is included.
Siegfried and Roy were German immigrants. They became naturalized U.S. citizens. Siegfried was a magician. Roy grew up around exotic animals. They met in 1959 working on a German ocean liner. Roy smuggled a cheetah named Chico aboard. After developing their show they performed in Las Vegas. In 1990, Steve Wynn hired them for The Mirage. They signed a lifetime contract in 2001.
Their show closed on October 3 2003. This was after Roy’s injury. A tiger named Montecore injured Roy during a performance.
The Secret Garden is home to various big cats. See black panthers golden tigers and leopards. Lions white lions and white tigers also live here. The Mirage created this big cat conservation. The tropical atmosphere is surrounded by palm trees.
White lions are critically endangered. Both white lions and white tigers have low survival rates in the wild. This is due to a lack of camouflage. Black panthers are leopards with a melanistic coat.
In 2022, MGM closed the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. This followed several dolphin deaths that year. Hard Rock International decided not to include the attraction in its plans. The animals were relocated to new homes.
Three dolphins returned to SeaWorld San Diego. Others went to Coral World Ocean Park in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The big cats moved to animal sanctuaries in Oregon and Texas.
The legacy of Siegfried and Roy lives on. Their passion for animals and conservation remains. The Secret Garden is a reminder of their unforgettable contribution to Las Vegas.