The Smithsonian National Zoo has debuted its first Amur tiger since 1948.
The Great Cats Exhibit welcomed the 10-year-old male tiger named Pavel on Thursday.
Beginning Friday, Pavel will rotate daily on exhibit with the zoo’s Sumatran tiger, Damai, and African lions Luke, Naba, Shera, Shaka, Jumbe and Amahle.
Pavel came from Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo and keepers describe him as "reserved but laid-back when interacting with animal care staff."
🐯❄️ There's a new cat in town! Say hello to Pavel, a 10-year-old male endangered Amur tiger. Stop by & see him beginning 1/5. #WeSaveSpeciespic.twitter.com/VZqq1HoWps
Also known as the Siberian tiger, the big cat is found throughout the forests of Russia and northern China. Due to poaching and habitat loss, the subspecies were driven to the brink of extinction.
They are now considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Scientists estimate only 360 Amur tigers exist.
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Formerly the First Church of Christ, Scientist, The LINE DC has been largely renovated on the inside -- but the outside retains the neoclassical revival architecture.
In addition to a coffee shop, visitors can find three restaurants and two bars in The LINE DC. Chef Erik Bruner-Yang's Brothers and Sisters is already serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Set to open Jan. 24, A Rake's Progress, spearheaded by award-winning chef Spike Gjerde, aims to make mid-Atlantic classics with local ingredients. In February, Spoken English will begin offering Asian-fusion dishes until midnight.
The new hotel held onto some of the building's history by making old organ pipes into a chandelier. "Weren't able to save the organ, but saved the pipes," the LINE DC's managing director Crawford Sherman told News4.
The hotel features a radio station, Full Service Radio, that broadcasts local voices from the lobby.
Designers were inspired by classic D.C. furnishings.
The hotel isn't just meant for guests form out of town. Sherman hopes the community will feel welcome -- and free Wi-Fi in the lobby will encourage locals to stick around.
The church was empty for about 25 years before the hotel was built.
Families, couples and adventurers should all feel welcome, Sherman said. Prices for a weekend stay in February began at $165 nightly, according to The LINE DC's website.
Replicas of historic D.C. furniture, paintings and prints by local artists and a small library supplied by Adams Morgan bookstore Idle Books can be found in each room.
The hotel offers room service 24 hours a day, according to the website.
According to National Geographic, Russia was the first country to ban tiger hunting and grant the Amur tiger full protection in 1947.
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute also plays an active role in saving the endangered species.
