By chance, I happened to stumble into a wonderful 360 degrees panorama picture of the rather new Asiatic lion enclosure at Zurich Zoo, Switzerland (you just have to watch it!): Zoo Zürich - Panorama pictures Zoo I was pleasantly surprised by the looks of it and searched the web for more info. I found this document in French (I don´t understand much French) that told me the enclosure is 1700 square meters big. That is not so bad. It could have been even bigger, but still... http://www.zoo.ch/documents/1_Datails_Facts_Chiffres.pdf I also found this document in English, that contained some pleasant information on enrichment etc for the lions in the enclosure: Asiatic Lion Information Centre - News Stories So now, I am just wondering if some forumsters could tell me more about this exhibit and if you have any pictures to upload in The Gallery? Seems to me that The Zurich Zoo has done a really god job here?!! Any additional thoughts? Any pictures?
In real life it is only adequate. Yes, the landscaping in main enclosure is very carefully done. The indoors enclosure and one outdoors enclosure is small and is surrounded by high walls. Basically, it is cramped, non-natural holding area. Visitor areas have strange cramped, narrow feel. It is result of a zoo being on narrow terraces on the mountainside. But several people and you already cannot see the lions. They were also planning to mix small-clawed otters, which was doomed to fail - wherever lions are in the main enclosure, otters have no place to swim or get hunted. Many zoos have better ones. Basel zoo nearby got far better lion exhibit, replicating semidesert in Etosha NP, Namibia (Gamgoas house). I dream of safari in Namibia since going there!
Thanks Jurek 7! Very interesting evaluation, but for me a bit of a surprising response. I really - spontaneously - found this to be un unusually good lion zoo enclosure. Although I did of course find that idea about mixing lions with otters a very strange idea (that is for sure!), even if I did not mention it in my post. Read about it somewhere - maybe not in any of my links. Any more thoughts on this exhibit?
I'm sorry to sound negative, but just because the enclosure is seen as 'open top without barriers' does not mean that it is a great exhibit. by the looks of it, it just seems that it is all moat and no enclosure to give the impression of a large exhibit. in my opinion it just seems quite small. the best asiatic lion exhibits are basic, with grass, the odd water feature, and a few trees to hide within. I'm not that impressed if i'm being truely honest.
Well, its the thing about photos - they don't show scale of an exhibit very well. Zurich zoo has a problem with being very small and located on terraces on a steep hillside. They tried their best to hide it, but couldn't completely. Masoala hall and e.g. snow leopard exhibit and waterfowl swamp are much better exhibits.
2 Asian lions born at the zoo. Your morning adorable: Asiatic lion cubs explore at Zurich Zoo | L.A. Unleashed | Los Angeles Times
Zurich lion enclosure Does the new asiatic lion enclosure extend into what was the site of the old polar bear enclosure?
