Former Lion Exhibit

Taken New Year\'s Day 2013.

Does anyone know what the plans are for this exhibit?

I do not remember ever seeing that wood fencing along the top. It must be a fairly recent addition.

Arizona Docent said:

I do not remember ever seeing that wood fencing along the top. It must be a fairly recent addition.

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Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing it before either.

The wooden fence at the top is a new addition. I believe the zoo wants to acquire Lions again in the near future.

I noticed the new wood paneling on my last visit to the zoo. I was somewhat disappointed that they still didn't fill in the moat to enlarge the exhibit space. Then put up a glass-fronted viewing area. Maybe they will acquire a couple of youngsters, as when the zoo first opened and I viewed back in 1966. Other than that, still quite a confined space for adult lions.

mstickmanp said:

The wooden fence at the top is a new addition. I believe the zoo wants to acquire Lions again in the near future.

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It does seem that the zoo wants to get more lions, since the sign says it is "temporarily closed".

SoCalChevy said:

It does seem that the zoo wants to get more lions, since the sign says it is "temporarily closed".

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They also confirmed it in the zoo's facebook page when they answered somebody's question about lions coming back to the zoo.

There are 51 out of America's best 60 zoos that have lions, although Utah's Hogle Zoo will make it 52 in 2014 when its African Savanna precinct opens. The 8 zoos that will still lack lions are: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Binder Park, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, Point Defiance, Roger Williams Park and Utah's Hogle Zoo. It is difficult to believe that a much improved Los Angeles Zoo will not have lions for much longer.