But there's still natural substrate, trees and other plants and if it was a larger size then it would be pretty good for bears. Maybe a larger pool, a cave and something to climb on would help too.
But there's still natural substrate, trees and other plants and if it was a larger size then it would be pretty good for bears. Maybe a larger pool, a cave and something to climb on would help too.
Well, if nothing else we've proved how tricky it is to judge these things from a photo! Can snowleopard or anyone else who's visited this exhibit confirm what the substrate actually is?
I guess compacted earth is marginally better than concrete. But babirusa live on the rainforest floor and make a living by sifting through the undergrowth. Anything hard and bare (which this exhibit certainly appears to be) is neither natural nor enriching for them.
The floor of the exhibit is compacted earth and not concrete. There is a pond and mudpatch at the front of the enclosure, and several small bushes and shady areas towards the back of the exhibit. The enclosure is found near the entrance of the zoo, where most of the animal exhibits are heavily shaded due to many tall trees in the vicinity. If you study both photos carefully there are cavelike dens at the back of the enclosure, piles of small rocks, dips and valleys in the varied terrain, and Disney's incredible attention to detail. Perhaps the ground could be even softer with a layer of mulch added to the enclosure, but overall it is a fairly nice exhibit. Neither photo shows more than perhaps 75% of the enclosure.
Here is another photo of the enclosure, with a babirusa in the foreground:
