European Lynx enclosure at Dortmund 11/05/2009

This absolutely stunning enclosure is simply a wooded valley fenced off. Surely one of the best small cat enclosures in Europe.

This is amazing! Did you see any lynx in there?

There's one in the shelter to the right of this shot, and another in the other shot i've put in this gallery. Unusually for such a spacious exhibit, no trouble at all seeing the animals.

Sure now I see him! They must love it in this enclosure.

It looks just like a lynx's natural environment! All of those crappy zoos that keep their felines in concrete and steel cages with colourful tiles for a background should analyze this enclosure. Simple yet brilliant.

The great thing about this exhibit is that it hasn't had to recreate the lynx's habitat artificially, they simply fenced a bit off! Have to say though, if they put anything any smaller or less showy in something like this you'd never see the things!

This does seem like the best type of enclosure for most species. They should do the same for their bears.

Wow. An amazing looking enclosure.

Absolutely fantastic. Small cats don't usually get what they deserve in zoos. There is only one place here in the U.S. where I know they did the same thing - fenced off an existing forest for a big exhibit for small cats (actully three exhibits in a row - canada lynx, bobcat, puma). That is Northwest Trek in Washington state.

Although, I still think they should rebuild their exhibits for jaguars, lions and tigers. They are not very big.