How do you move a 250-ton tree? Very carefully! In planning the new “Heart of the Zoo” exhibit, Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, a majestic centerpiece was needed—and the champion, many-trunked ficus on the north side of Flamingo Lagoon, the largest-known member of its species in the United States, was a the perfect choice. The challenge was that it needed to be moved 240 feet! A team of Zoo staff and consultants began preparing the “Big Fig” for its move in May 2002. They pruned the canopy, root pruned a 1,064-square-foot base, and installed a misting system to keep the roots moist. Then in October, heavy-duty, 40-foot pipes were rammed underneath to give the root box a platform to be hoisted onto. Next, the team bored holes crosswise under the piper for two giant I beams, so that four gantry jacks could lift the 250-ton package up by the beams and mount it on a temporary rail that led to the tree’s new, specially dug and prepared home. It wasn’t until January 2003 that everything was ready to start the move. Once the tree was lifted, it inched slowly along the track. If it were moved too quickly or suddenly, the upper parts of the tree could be damaged, so it took several days to complete the move. To everyone’s relief, the tree made it safely into its new soil location. It took a while to adjust—and caused the Horticulture Department some anxiety when it seemed to not be doing well for a period of time—but in the end, the Big Fig thrived, and it is now the glorious center of the Monkey Trails forest.