Two other enclosures for an endangered small mammal species, the volcano rabbit (or "teporingo" as it is known in Mexico), at two different zoos are worth mentioning.
I've used the excellent photos of zoochatter Estimado
@carlos55 in this comment to highlight why I find these enclosures brilliant. I hope he doesn't mind my use of them to illustrate the points nor find it disrespectful.
Zoologico de Chapultepec
The colony of volcano rabbits is significant for many reasons but probably the most notable reason is in conservation terms. It is the only colony of this species held by a zoo that has ever thrived and where breeding and survivorship ex-situ has been good enough (and even then it has been far from perfect with the species doing much better being kept ex-situ within its habitat).
It is quite a large roofed enclosure with an earthen floor and is planted quite densely with clumps of zacatuche grass. Zacatuche is the high altitude growing grass species that forms the majority of the diet of the species in the wild and which the rabbits will hide in from predators, tunnel and browse through and line their burrows with. It is therefore an essential part of their nutritional and enrichment requirement either in captivity or the wild.
There are also numerous rocks, boulders and ledges to perch on, hollow logs to hide within and run through and a backdrop of a volcanic rock walls with burrow systems that would also be used by the species in its montane habitat. Little hide boxes / shelters are provisioned throughout the enclosure for the animals to build nests in and to encourage / stimulate breeding further.
Safety barriers around the glass windows of the exhibit here are more for the safety of the rabbits and prevent the occasional disruptive or ignorant visitor common to zoos the world over from banging on the glass and startling these easily stressed animals. It doesn't always work out though as children will sometimes misbehave through occasionally climbing over the barriers and banging on the windows.
Noise levels are encouraged to be kept at a minimum around the exhibit to reduce stress further. However, as this is a busy inner city zoo with hundred if not thousands of visitors a day passing through its gates this doesn't always work out in practice.
The positioning of the enclosure is in a shady spot within the "temperate biome" themed zone of the zoo but periods of indirect sunlight are frequent depending on the season and time of the day / position of the sun.
The species breeds here like...well...rabbits so there are near enough always young animals in the enclosure either scurrying around or being fed by their mothers that can be seen by visitors. I think that this constant presence of infant animals in this enclosure greatly adds to the appeal of the species and exhibit to the visitors. A couple more breeding colonies of the species are held by Chapultepec zoo but these are kept out of public view.
The activity levels of these animals in conditions that are as optimum as they can get in a public zoo located at lower elevations and are excellent for watching these rabbits. Depending on the time of the way they can be either lazing in the sun or shade or quite active chasing eachother around the enclosure in dominance squabbles, mating, perching on the grass clumps or rocks etc.
Though the birds mostly go unnoticed it is actually a mixed species exhibit and a couple of pairs of painted buntings also inhabit the enclosure. These species seem to do well together and as they are native to the same habitat and region it is a biogeographically correct mix and one with some educational value.
The information signs are quite attractive in my opinion in terms of their colours / graphics / illustrations and the content is neither too overwhelming or underwhelming. There is a brief overview of the ecology, morphology, conservation status and the status of this rabbit as a "living fossil".
The signage is complemented by environmental education talks and occasional exhibitions on the species given by the zoos excellent education team. This really hits home the message to the general public just how endangered this species is and the anthropogenic drivers of its endangerment.
Some of the educators and displays also talk of / convey the cultural importance of this animal to past civilizations of the Valley of Mexico such as the Aztecs which helps to place the importance of this animal as a part of Mexico's cultural heritage.
*To the Aztecs this animal was linked with the rabbit diety "Ometochtli" and associated with drunkeness, the alcoholic drink pulque (a beverage made from fermented cactus which is still drunk to this day in Mexico), the moon and their cyclical calender.
Here is a short video of some of the teporingos in their enclosure at Chapultepec that gives a bit more an impression of how it looks.
Zoologico de los Coyotes
This "rabbit house" isn't as big as the one Chapultepec zoo and so holds a slightly smaller colony of this species for the captive breeding program. However, it still has a great design (though some people might think it looks too utilitarian) in terms of consideration of the husbandry of the species in my opinion.
Like Chapultepec the enclosure also is a roofed enclosure with an earthen floor and is planted with clumps of zacatuche grass in which the rabbits hide in and browse upon, rocks to perch on, hollow logs to hide within and run through and a backdrop of a volcanic rock wall with tunnels which mimic burrow systems. The positioning of the enclosure is in a shady spot but one that allows for periods of indirect sunlight too depending on the time of the day / position of the sun.
Safety barriers around the glass windows of the exhibit here are more for the safety of the rabbits and prevent the occasional disruptive or ignorant visitor common to zoos the world over from banging on the glass and startling these easily stressed animals.
The enclosure is located in a quieter area of the zoo in terms of anthropogenic noise (close to the Mexican wolf which is also a species easily stressed) so stressful stimuli is kept at a minimum.
Similarly, it is also a mixed species exhibit and a couple of pairs of painted buntings also inhabit the enclosure. As in Chapultepec zoo the species seem to do well together and as they are native to the same habitat and region it is a biogeographically correct mix.
The birds are more frequently noticed at Los Coyotes by the visitors as the enclosure is much smaller than the one in Chapultepec.
The activity levels of these animals in conditions that are as optimum as they can get in a public zoo located at lower elevations are excellent for watching these rabbits. Los Coyotes being a far quieter zoo than Chapultepec is actually a far bet option to see these animals.
From what I remember the information signage around the enclosure could be much better. However, in direct educational terms the Los Coyotes exhibit is brilliant for the public and in the past I've watched adults, families and children laughing and smiling at them which really does highlight the educational value of it.
The Los Coyotes teporingo / volcano rabbit enclosure can be seen in the video below from minute 5:39 to 8:16. The professional being interviewed is Dr Alejandro Fernandez who oversees the zoo and is a brilliant biologist / conservationist and just an all around nice guy.
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