This photo only shows half the exhibit, and the enclosure is remarkable for being one of the few walk-through antelope habitats at any American zoo. It might even be the only one of its kind in North America, much like the lemur walk-through at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and the spider monkey walk-through area at Phoenix Zoo.
That's quite an interesting concept. Rumors have been floating around that the Cincinnati Zoo is planning on building a walk-through Impala exhibit in their African Savannah. Hopefully this exhibit won't be the only one of its kind for long!
I wouldn't think a walk-through antelope enclosure would be terribly safe for the visitors (especially the smaller visitors). Male sitatunga can be pretty toey. Even impala could be potentially dangerous if they got their blood up.
I wouldn't think a walk-through antelope enclosure would be terribly safe for the visitors (especially the smaller visitors). Male sitatunga can be pretty toey. Even impala could be potentially dangerous if they got their blood up.
I suspect that you are correct, and I'm not sure if this exhibit is still a walk-through one. As of about a year ago Mesker Park had a large herd of 16 Sitatunga, and I doubt that visitors would be allowed into the enclosure. On a side note, the number of American zoos that hold the species can probably be counted on one hand.
