Is that large metal ladder thing in the middle of the exhibit modeled on an actual creation in Madagascar? Melbourne Zoo's lemur walk-through is a $4 million sound investment while Taronga's is garish and features a lot of wasted space.
Yea, its not the best looking thing. I guess its functional, gives them a place to climb, sit and look out, and also some privacy from each other and shade, but its not great aesthetically.
This is really a waste of money, when you compare it with other newer walk-thru-lemur-exhibits in European zoos (specially when you keep in mind, that Sydneys climatic conditions allow a year round outside keeping for the lemurs).
Why not using a wire net and create an aviary like enclosure and leave or put more, big and shade spending trees in? And why built an ugly metal structure for rest, climb, sit and look out when they could have trees to do so? Also, looking at the roughly dry habitat of the ring tailed lemurs in the wild, a(n expensive) water moat is not really necessary.
Small point, but the moat would not have been expensive. This area was the old seal pools and quite deep; they have built up the surrounding land around the moat.
So I visited Taronga during the week and thought I'd post a few comments on some of the things that got my attention rather than a whole review.
This new exhibit seemed like a playground with a lemur exhibit attached. To the left of this viewing area is an actual playground and a small adventure trail through some bamboo. The whole thing seemed very out of place.
Also, from what I could gather it is now operating as a walkthrough but only at certain supervised times. I didn't hang around to find out and I also don't know if there's an extra charge or not.
It seemed as if it were a guided tour. There was a keeper waiting at a meeting point near the entrance. But as I said, I don't know if the people had to pay or it was a first in best dressed scheme.
The only way it seems now to enter the exhibit is through a guided tour (free). You book your name at the start of the entrance to the whole trail for set times (cannot remember).
