That is interesting information, and this exhibit ultimately fails due to the fact that visitors are looking down a steep ravine in a search for a hyena. Much like the sun bear, sika deer, muntjac, lion and tiger exhibits in all cases Oakland Zoo visitors are peering down on the animals in large enclosures. All of those exhibits are great for the animals but there needs to be a close-up viewing experience with glass or a shallow moat to make the habitats truly great.
That is interesting information, and this exhibit ultimately fails due to the fact that visitors are looking down a steep ravine in a search for a hyena. Much like the sun bear, sika deer, muntjac, lion and tiger exhibits in all cases Oakland Zoo visitors are peering down on the animals in large enclosures. All of those exhibits are great for the animals but there needs to be a close-up viewing experience with glass or a shallow moat to make the habitats truly great.
I think that you have a good point about the viewer experience being somewhat difficult sometimes, but I disagree that this is "failure". If anything it enhances the naturalism of the exhibits. I can see where it would be regarded as a design flaw. reduakari brought this up also in a critique of these exhibits in a different thread.
