That has been my thought all along ^Chris^ it would be great for lions and could hold a group of about 5/6 very well providing water,clearings perhaps more climbing oppurtunities and trees it would be great aswell as perhaps one of the large Rocks (Old Goat Hills) could be incorporated giving them a view of the zoo and the city it would be an Awe-inspiring sight.They would also be a great match for the very impressive Mappins.
That has been my thought all along ^Chris^ it would be great for lions and could hold a group of about 5/6 very well providing water,clearings perhaps more climbing oppurtunities and trees it would be great aswell as perhaps one of the large Rocks (Old Goat Hills) could be incorporated giving them a view of the zoo and the city it would be an Awe-inspiring sight.They would also be a great match for the very impressive Mappins.
I'm not sure they'll ever use the mountains at the back, I think cats could jump off them for starters, and they're probably not that safe. But if you imagine the back of the enclosure planted up with little trees and thorn bushes, those mountains would provide a really nice back drop for Asiatic Lions. They somehow look very Indian to me.
This is a really good australian enclosure which just makes it seem worse! a dog species could also fit in the enclosure quite nicely (though i am unsure how the indoor areas would work) dhole, wolves, african wild dog (though these are found elsewhere in the zoo currently).
Another way I've thought about doing it up would be a Himalayan style exhibit: Hoofstock like Takin and Markhor on the mountains and exhibits for francois langurs, red pandas and snow leopards below, and perhaps even the return of Giant Pandas as a way of establishing a major drawcard for the zoo.
It just isn't that big. it really isn't. There are so few service areas, it's no longer workable for hoofstock. And langurs didn't really thrive up there before, I doubt they'd risk the francois langurs they have.
