I got pretty good views of them because they were moving about. It's far more exciting to see some stripes in the undergrowth, then a tail disappearing and then suddenly a tiger right in front of you, than in the more usual open exhibits. Hands down the best tiger enclosure I've seen so far.
Yes, it is nice to see a Tiger emerging from the Bamboo like that. However IMO its now so dense it covers nearly the entire enclosure making the Tigers really hard to see- just a few small cleared areas might be welcome. They must be completely invisible when resting and might like to lie out in the sun on a platform for example, making them more visible. Even when active, most people don't see them as they miss the brief times a walking Tiger enters a cleared area.
I watched what happens here- the visitors were missing a walking tiger as they don't stay long enough. It was patrolling a regular beat around the enclosure and crossed a small open patch about every two minutes or so. But most visitors take one look at the 'empty' enclosure and then leave, so they miss it even when it fleetingly appears. They probably do complain they can't see it.
If you wait long enough the male makes a complete loop and goes under the wooden bridge, which has large enough gaps in it to be able to stand above and watch the tiger walk under your feet.
It is now so dense it will be rather difficult to get a lot of the bamboo out,without really clearing big areas, in time even the tigers won't be able to access much of the enclosure. Better than it was though, I wonder if the pool is still there?
If you wait long enough the male makes a complete loop and goes under the wooden bridge, which has large enough gaps in it to be able to stand above and watch the tiger walk under your feet.
That's right, then he crosses a little clearing in the smaller section. People were looking for a Tiger when it was virtually passing beneath their feet.
I do think just a bit of clearance would benefit both viewing the enclosure and the Tigers too.
I think a platform would benefit tigers and visitors alike. Maybe a fake rock one
The pool in the smaller enclosure on the right is very visible, is there one hidden somewhere in this shot as well?
Out of interest, where do others who have visited more zoos than me rank this in terms of UK tiger enclosures?
Four or so years ago this was still an open grass enclosure with some large clumps of bamboo. Now the bamboo has completely obliterated everything else. IMO they need to open up just a single decent-sized space in the centre of each of the two sections of the enclosure( e.g. around the nearest pole in this shot). Add a wooden log platform in each clearing also- please not fake rock in here. A few small Pine trees would also give more of a 'Taiga' effect, at present its more 'Asian jungle' than 'Taiga'.
It is still a good enclosure but the vegetation is too much now, it has simply been left unchecked.
