With the increasing awareness of animal protection, contemporary urban zoos are confronting the challenge of enhancing both animal welfare and tourist experience. This article begins by examining the development of natural habitats in urban zoos, exploring how to achieve “wilderness reappearance” through landscape construction techniques and to establish a mutually benefi cial relationship between animal welfare and tourist experience. Based on the renovation of the red panda exhibit at Shanghai Zoo, this study employs a quantitative evaluation approach, comparing data before and after the renovation and integrating multiple methodologies to analyze the landscape creation strategy and the eff ectiveness of “wilderness reappearance.” Furthermore, it identifi es the critical pathways for achieving near-natural habitat development within the exhibit. The results indicate that: (1) The primary challenge in renovating exhibition areas lies in transforming limited artifi cial space into a “man-made wilderness” that fulfi lls the needs of animal natural behaviors and enhances the tourist experience, while seamlessly integrating functionality and aesthetics. (2) The concept of “wilderness reappearance” can be realized via four major construction strategies: “verticalization of space, diversifi cation of vegetation, disappearance of boundaries, and systematization of enrichment,” which work together on the ecological, behavioral, and perceptual levels of the exhibition area. (3) After the renovation, the proportion of positive behaviors among red pandas increased from 18% to 47%, and stereotyped behaviors almost disappeared; the eff ective utilization rate of exhibition space has increased from less than 30% to over 85%; the average stay time of tourists has increased by more than 4 times, and their ratings for naturalness, perception of animal welfare, and educational value have all signifi cantly improved. The research deepens the theoretical underpinnings of the “near nature” design in urban zoos, providing a decision- making basis with detailed data support and clear methodological guidance for updating zoo exhibition areas.