More scenes of construction around Project Polar at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, as seen on October 5, 2014. I wasn't sure whether this was the same exhibit as the one I photographed previously, but it's certainly big enough to be an exhibit on its own.
More scenes of construction around Project Polar at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, as seen on October 5, 2014. I wasn't sure whether this was part of the second polar bear exhibit currently under construction, or a completely separate third exhibit.
This is definitely part of the second enclosure,not a 3rd one.
The 4 enclosures will be roughly the same size. With the issues they are having with excavating the main lake in enclosure 2 it wouldn't surprise me if they don't have a smaller lake than planned along with this low depth "paddling pool" type thing that is shown in this photo. This wasn't supposed to be a wet area but couldn't be drained properly so has been made into a feature. I'm not to worried about there being more land than water in this enclosure,and it will mean they can definitely keep the mound of soil that is currently there,landscape that,and have another different element to it instead of them all been clones of each other. They are planning to rotate the bears anyway,just as they currently do with the Tigers,and are planning to do with the Leopards,so this will give even more enrichment possibilities. And it would be great to actually see a Polar Bear looking down on you rather than you looking down on them as is always the case.
Thanks. I thought it was supposed to be four enclosures roughly equal size, but they represent such a dramatic change really in zoo exhibiting, that I wasn't sure if that was still the plan. Glad to hear it still is.
The concrete tubes have been used to create caves/shelters in the new hunting dog enclosure - so could be used in enclosure 2 for bear caves like Victor's.
The concrete "tubes" will indeed be used in the construction process of the dens that are likely to be built into the banking on the far side of the enclosure similar to enclosure 1. There are already a line of these sunk into the perimeter of the lake to stop the banking being washed away,and these will also stop the edge of the banking give way when half a ton of polar bear walks to the edge of water for a drink or go for a swim.
A number of these tubes have also been used in enclosure 1 to build up a column under the island,so almost immediately either side of the island the lake retains its 8metre depth.
