Lioness at the MGM Grand

The lion habitat at the MGM Grand, August 2004. A really nice exhibit in the MGM Grand hotel. The only probem is a lack of any outdoor area however this does not matter particularly as the lions are \'changed\' several times a week. When they are not on show the live in large outdoor enclosures away from the hotel. This lioness is the great great great grandaughter of the MGM lion that roars at the start of their films.

Hmmmmm......."Only In America..."

This "exhibit" is nothing more than a glass tank, and it is absolutely atrocious! Zero privacy, thousands of gawking Americans with their bellies jiggling up against the glass, and there's nothing at all positive that I can mention about the small cage.

I agree with Snowleopard 100%. This cage is exploiting lions not doing anything conservation related and just there for the tourists to stare at. Its not even accredited by the AZA.

To be fair the exhibit is larger than it appears and does have some natural substrate. Also there are a number of TV screens telling visitors about the lions and don't forget, they're only there a small percentage of the time. I know it's not great but after seeing the mirage white tiger habitat this seemed like heaven, besides the indoor lion areas at most zoos aren't much better, if at all, and the outdoor areas away from the hotel seem good too although the crowds should be limited to a few viewing areas.

Still.... a lion in a "fish tank"... at a hotel (is it in Las Vegas?).

No, that is too much for me. I hate the concept. I really do.

Dan said:

Still.... a lion in a "fish tank"... at a hotel (is it in Las Vegas?).

No, that is too much for me. I hate the concept. I really do.

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1) This is not a fish tank - I don't think i will patronise you on going through the differences between mammals and fish .
2) The habitat is larger than it looks and does have a program of enrichment.
3) The lions are not there most of the time.
4) Most people who stay in the hotel have not gone to a zoo since the age of ten so it is an oppurtunity for people to relate to animals.
and
5) I don't like the concept of hand-rearing but it saved the Mauritius Kestrel from extinction. I know that the two are completely different but i am trying to illustrate my point.

I admit that it is not ideal and that you like to see animals in large open enclosures but at least it isn't an egyptian temple or something equally awful.

It all depends on your perspective

Ive seen this exhibit and personally i dont think it is that bad, the lions are behind sound proof glass, they are all hand reared anyway so people do not bother them and they are changed twice a day! meaning each lion only spends around 4 hours every two weeks on display! they spend the rest of the time on a ranch in the desert!

By the way did you guys know the original MGM Lion was born in Dublin zoo?

There is a glass tunnel through the exhibit that the lions lie on top of while people walk through underneath