Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo Visitors Face to Face with the Lions

Simon Hampel

Simon Hampel

Administrator
Staff member
20+ year member
Media release from Wellington Zoo

Media Release

24 March 2005

Wellington Zoo Visitors Face to Face with the Lions

Wellington Zoo is again bringing their visitors remarkably close to these animals with the reintroduction of the Lion cave viewing window, open from Easter this year. Visitors will feel like they are in the enclosure with the Lions as they make eye contact with these animals through the viewing glass.

After two months of sourcing building supplies and construction, the viewing glass provides a 30 millimetre distance between the Lions and Zoo visitors, making the experience extremely close but safe.

Following the installation of the new glass, Property Team Leader, Shane Whittaker describes his experience with the Lions as “Quite daunting. They followed me to the window, then pouncedâ€Â.

Realising Wellington Zoo’s vision to bring animals and people closer together, the viewing cave is one of many enhanced or new enclosures.

Wellington Zoo Lion Keeper, Paul Horton says “Visitors can have an up close and personal moment with an African Lion through the window. They [the Lions] are reacting really well to itâ€Â. If you really want to experience Lion breath, you can book a Big Cat Encounter which really is the ultimate experience.

Big Cat Encounters have been touted as a success by numerous visitors with Encounters available from Monday to Friday. They can be booked by calling Zoo Events on 389 3692.
Click to expand...
 
Wellington Zoo Lion enclosure

dont get too excited -- the main reason that the lions have a relatively new enclosure was because their previous one was an early 1900s heavy grille bar cage that was totally unsuitable . Most of the time the lions are sunbathing on top of the rocky outcrop , most of it is out of view from the window in the "cave " You get a better view , albeit further away , from the upper viewing enclosure .
 
save starting another post, can anyone explain the history of the lions at auckland, and where there cubs went, from about 01/02

i know 3 females went to wellington, and 3 went to oz. the ones at oz, 1 stayed at taronga to breed, with jambo, who was born at the zoo in 99, and his sisters went to western plains, but what happened to the otehr 2 females from auckland?
 
Zoo Boy, I'm not quite positive but I think that the two females at Adelaide are Auckland born females.
 
Kura (F98) has had eight cubs, six females and two males:

Amali (F01): went to Adelaide Zoo, gave birth to four cubs in 2004
Amira (F01): stayed at Auckland Zoo and gave birth to two cubs in 2004 (Zulu and Zalika)
Kuchami (F01): went to Taronga Zoo and gave birth to two cubs in 2003 (Johari and Asali)
Kutaza (F01): went to Adelaide Zoo but has never bred

Tiombe (F04): went to Monarto Zoo and gave birth to two cubs in 2007 (Zinzi and Inkosi)
Kibira (F04): went to Monarto Zoo with Zalika and Tiombe and has never bred
Malik (M04): went to Wellington Zoo with Zulu and has sired 7 cubs at Orana Park
Amani (M04): went to Mogo Zoo and has never bred

Sheeka (F99) has had three cubs, all female born in 2001. They are called Djane, Djembe and Zhara and live at Wellington Zoo. They are hoping to breed from them this year. Sheeka was sterlised in 2004 and will not breed again.

Monarto Zoo has a pride of four lionesses (all born 2004) including sisters Tiombe and Kibira, and their nieces Zalika (Amira's cub) and Kiamba (Amali's cub).
 
Just heard, Amali's daughter Kiamba has just had a male cub. Kura is a great-grandmother for the first time. :D
 
seriously - another new account? What is this, your fifth one?
 
Steve Robinson said:
What happened to Axl? He/she has been completely erased from the Member List.

That will teach me to be on the road all day! What have I missed?
Click to expand...


Hey Steve,

My name is Axl and I'm a dude. :D

This is my second profile (Axl2011), I am the same user as Axl. My account under Axl has stuffed up somehow and requires me to access my gmail (but I can't remember the password). After a couple of weeks I thought it would be easier to register as another user, Axl2011. I'm enjoying being part of ZooChat again. :)
 
To re-direct this thread away from the Axl show. Does anyone know what the plans are for Djane, Djembe and Zhara at the Wellington Zoo. Will all three lionesses be bred with or just one or two?

In April, the zoo made the surprising decision to begin the introductions between Djane and Malik. Djane is notorious for having a short fuse and she was very aggressive towards the male. I would have thought they would start with the calmer Zhara or Djembe who is inbetween. I'm sure all will go well in time. It'll be great to see cubs at Wellington Zoo again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top