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geomorph

Siberian Tiger Exhibit

For details, see my review http://www.zoochat.com/22/review-san-francisco-zoo-158768/#post334582

Siberian Tiger Exhibit
geomorph, 2 Jul 2010
    • snowleopard
      This ancient grotto was already ridiculously tiny to begin with, but now with an electric fence up it is positively puny for the world's largest feline. No wonder the zoo is widely regarded as a junkpile, as there are very few enclosures that are even barely acceptable in today's zoological world. The entire Lion House at the San Francisco Zoo should be either demolished or turned into a museum/cafe/gift shop/etc.
    • Jabiru96
      how many live here?
    • Animal
      Why is there this fence? Because of babytigers?
    • geomorph
      I think there is just one inside, the fence is to prevent the tiger from getting near the moat, which is probably to relieve human worry about escape rather than actual possibility of escape.
    • Hix
      When they climb the steps, do they use the handrail?
    • Animal
      When I zoom in, I can see that the tigers can go at the left side around the fence. So it's more that they cant make a jump with running before. But they can use the whole exhibit. Thats how it looks for me.
    • geomorph
      Yes it does look like there is a gap on the side of the fence. It may be that it will be removed; I just realized that there was an elderly tiger in this enclosure who died recently, and a few months ago he went down into the moat and did not have the strength to get back out and they had to help him out, which was a big effort. So this fence was probably put in to keep him from going down there again, but now that he is gone it was partially opened. This is a good illustration of the visual challenges that can be necessary for display!
    • Animal
      So they can use the moat also? So better exhibit than it looks.
    • themightyshaw
      Yes, confirming what geomorph said in the later. There was an older Siberian who did need to have his access to the moat prevented for his own safety. When he wasn't in the enclosure and now, the West-end side of the fence is open. The female Sumatran who lives there now has constant access to the moat. There are plans to have the fence removed as the Big Cats get rotated sometimes for environment enrichment. Currently with the fence up, other Cats can not use that enclosure for fear they might try to jump over the fence and fall into to moat.

      Note 1- The fence is not electric. It would best serve a site as informative as this one, that posters verify information before posting.

      Note 2- The fence is not meant to prevent the Cats from escaping. (See later part of Note 1).

      Note 3. The fear other Cats would jump, is not a fear they are trying to escape, just that they may view this foreign object as an obstacle.

      These Cats don't want to escape, they are too busy sleeping like most Cats do.
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  • Category:
    San Francisco Zoo
    Uploaded By:
    geomorph
    Date:
    2 Jul 2010
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    Comment Count:
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