I haven't been since this exhibit was redone but they obviously reduced the old pool to this much smaller size(though it appears empty) mini-pool for the new exhibit. So it would be the lowest part of the old Sealion pool containing the drain that is left uncovered as a 'pool'..The cover looks like some sort of temporary arrangement to me- Coatis are very inquisitive/destructive- they are always digging....
Re the mixed exhibit(presumably) not working. IMO they are virtually all unnatural- even species from the same geographical zone rarely associate with each other in the wild, they are either active at different times or they occupy different niches in the same habitat and so rarely meet, let alone associate closely together. There are exceptions of course- e.g. symbiotic relationships and some birds and mixed herbivore groupings. But I think mixed exhibits in Zoos that work successfully longterm are fairly unusual as the species are forced into much closer contact than would be the case in the wild.
I noticed the Coati have already dug up the floor in their new quarters(they always do). Possibly the reason they were seperated? Or at least partly perhaps?
Don't Bush Dogs like water? There is no pool left in this enclosure now.
