Unfortunately, I don't remember where in the zoo it was. I only visited Whipsnade the once, almost 25 years ago. The Brown Bears had another exhibit which, judging by some pics I've seen in the gallery, they are still occupying.
It was near(before) the intersection where a road heads back from the circular drive toward the Giraffe House. The hollow was completely filled in I think and is now just a grassy viewpoint.
I can just recognise where it was,When i went in about 1999/2000 their last African Lion Dot had died so it was a great dissapointment to me even though i was only about 6 or so not to see a lion that day!
It may of been filled in im not sure though its not used at all now just is overlooked by the road by the White Rhinos.
I think i may of seen an old drain type thing further along towards the reindeer could that have something to do with the Polars?
It was definately a spectacular enclosure for the time
I can just recognise where it was,When i went in about 1999/2000 their last African Lion Dot had died so it was a great dissapointment to me even though i was only about 6 or so not to see a lion that day!
It may of been filled in im not sure though its not used at all now just is overlooked by the road by the White Rhinos.
I think i may of seen an old drain type thing further along towards the reindeer could that have something to do with the Polars?
It was definately a spectacular enclosure for the time
Spike and Dot were extremely long lived. On the top of the downs was (from the look out cafe direction) A kodiak bear pit, polar bears, lion pit and then tiger dell, all with the same stylish concrete and thick bars. All of these exhibits have now been back filled (there were issues with fences being on the skyline, planning permission to redevelop the lion enclosure before the new one was planned was refused unless they painted the bars rust colored to match what was there presently - idiot councils!). Drains were sunk in the back fill to create roosts for native bats which is why there is masonary sticking out of the hillside - apparently they have been very successful.
Though the Polar & Kodiak Bear enclosures were pretty awful, I always liked the Lion & Tiger 'dells.' In their time they were very 'avantegarde' in displaying the Big Cats in semi-natural surroundings in large enclosures, and both stood the test of time remarkably well. There was also a leopard enclosure in that area but of course, that was a cage, not an open area.
