From tigers to penguins, jaguars to jungle gyms, the Audubon Commission plans to begin spending more than $33 million on nine new projects.

"That's a lot of money and we're excited about it," Audubon CEO and President Ron Forman said Wednesday (Dec. 2). "In this field, you keep improving or you go down, you don't maintain the same level. With attractions you've always got to make changes."

Much of the financing comes from private donations and state capital outlay money, Forman said as the commission's board gave the initiatives its approval during a public meeting.

Here's a quick list of what's in store.

1. Tropical Bird House Renovations

Audubon plans to spend $2.6 million on repairing roof damage suffered during Hurricane Katrina, remove mold, redo the electrical and mechanical systems and add new exhibits to its tropical bird house at the Audubon Zoo. The commission expects to search for a construction contractor this month.

2. Jaguar Jungle

Phase II of the Jaguar Jungle exhibit in the zoo will get underway this month. Audubon plans to spend $2.6 million on a night house for bats and other nocturnal critters, as well as a climbing wall and educational exhibits.

3. Alliance for Sustainable Wildlife

Audubon has partnered with the San Diego Zoo to launch a program meant to help preserve endangered species. Using 1,200 acres it controls on the West Bank the institute plans to begin building housing and breeding grounds for a variety of animals. San Diego is paying for it to the tune of about $10 million, Forman said. Construction bids on the first $3.6 million phase, which will focus on 200 acres for giraffes and okapi, are due Friday.

4. Audubon Park Asphalt Trail

The Goldring Family Foundation has offered to pay for the $490,000 worth of repairs to Audubon Park's asphalt trails. The project is currently out to bid.

5. Aquarium, Entergy Giant Screen Theater Lobby Combination

Audubon has hired the architecture firm Eskew Dumez Ripple to redesign the front lobby of the Aquarium of the Americas to accommodate entrances to both the exhibits and the attached Entergy Giant Screen Theater, formerly known as IMAX. As it is now, each has its own entrance and ticket booths. The estimated construction cost is about $9.8 million.

6. Penguin Exhibit

Audubon plans to spend $6.1 million upgrading its popular penguin exhibit on the aquarium's second floor. The architecture firm PGAV was hired to design the new modifications.

7. Park Shelters, Playgrounds and Landscaping

Audubon once again tapped Eskew Dumez Ripple to design improvements to Audubon Park's shelters, public bathrooms, playgrounds and landscaping. Forman was adamant that the upgrades would not include new additions to the venerated park.

8. Odenheimer Phase II

Audubon plans to hire the architectural firm Billes Partners to design the second stage of renovations to the Odenheimer aquarium at the zoo. That $1.2 million contract will answer problems with stabilizing the complex's center building and mitigating mold, lead and termite damage.

9. Tigers

Audubon plans to spend $5.1 million to build a tiger exhibit in the Asia area of the zoo. The commission hired the architectural firm Torre Design Consortium to design the project.

CORRECTION: A previous version had incorrectly labeled the Entergy Giant Screen Theater as an IMAX theater. The theater's name changed last month.