For the first time in the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Bronx Zoo will join the iconic procession through the streets of Manhattan, debuting a float called the “Wonderous World of Wildlife.”

The float, a rendering of which was unveiled Tuesday, took approximately six months to create and honors the zoo’s 125th anniversary, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo, said in a press release.

“We are really happy to partner with Macy’s and bring the spirit of the Bronx Zoo to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year,” zoo director Jim Breheny said in a statement. “For 125 years, the Bronx Zoo has been a leader in animal care and exhibits, becoming a cultural icon and a gateway to the wonders of nature for more than a half billion visitors.”

The massive float features three distinct sections that pay homage to the Bronx Zoo’s exhibits, the release said. They include:

• The Russian Boreal Forest, which features an Amur tiger in a snow-covered environment.
• The African Savanna, which includes a giraffe, a Grevy’s zebra, an ostrich and the Von Der Decken’s hornbill.
• The African Rainforest, which includes the western lowland gorilla, an okapi and an African grey parrot.

The design of the float also takes inspiration from the architecture of two of the zoo’s most iconic locations: Rainey Memorial Gate and the Zoo Center, according to the release.

“The Bronx Zoo and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are two iconic New York City institutions that have captured the hearts of visitors from around the globe for generations,” Jordan Dabby, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade producer, said in a statement. “Every aspect of this float has been carefully crafted to highlight the Bronx Zoo’s commitment to animal care and wildlife conservation and we look forward to welcoming them to the streets of New York this November.”