with such a nice collection of cats especialy the clouded leopards, Indian (black) leopard and asiatic golden cats they shold house them better (make more of an effort) or at the very least put viewing windows in place.
If you see the beautiful tiger and lion enclosures this seems somewhat underachieving.
with such a nice collection of cats especialy the clouded leopards, Indian (black) leopard and asiatic golden cats they shold house them better (make more of an effort) or at the very least put viewing windows in place.
If you see the beautiful tiger and lion enclosures this seems somewhat underachieving.
What makes a cage better when they put a window in it? The cages aren't bad, not spacious, but much climbing structure and for the avaible space nicely planted.
Wuppertal isn't a rich town, so the zoo has to find sponsors for new buildings.
The new planned extentions are a bonobo outdoor enclosure, an aviary for shoebills, after that they plan to build a new small cat building, all new buildings get financed by the local zoo society. You see they plan many things, and good things take time.
As i see it a zoo has two objectives. One to treat animals right and breed them in this way most of the enclosures including the big cat house are sufficient. Two to put them on display and in this sense i find the enclosures lacking. I know you cannot change your entire zoo in a couple of years. I just think if you have such a great cat collection you should make it a priority to display them in the best possible way. As i said in an earlier post the tiger and lion enclosures are phenomanal
@Sneeuwpanter: Although I can understand your opinion, I have to agree with Eagle. In case of lacking financial resources, building new exhibits because of animal needs must be in the ranking before building new exhibits because of display reasons for visitors. And as breeding successes with several cat species in Wuppertal demonstrate, their exhibits are not that bad. But of course: Nowadays, if you are going to built new exhibits, then you have to make allowance for both points.
And let's don't forget, that this house used to house lions and tigers. They were the first to move in new enclosures, because they needed them the most. For the other cats this house is really ok.
Breeding Success isn't a proof for a good exhibit....I've seen many really bad exhibits, in Japan last year, for example, but the animals are breeding in them very succesful...Dolphins are kept often in unbelivable small tanks in japanese aquariums, but they breeding very succesful in them, so a few aquariums had to stop breeding them. Walrusses at Kamogawa breeding in a too small exhibit also...Manatis at Amsterdam have bred regulary in a tank, which was smaller than my bathtube, the same did the Manatis at Nuremberg Zoo...But you will tell me know, Zoomaniac, this manati exhibit is good ? In this case, I ask me, why they are construct a new manati exhibit now, just for the visitors ?The clouded leopards at Duisburg have bred in a tiny, dark "Hole" in the 70ty years and stopped breeding, after they moved to their new, more natural exhibit....Just a few of many other examples.
And let's don't forget, that this house used to house lions and tigers. They were the first to move in new enclosures, because they needed them the most. For the other cats this house is really ok.
