Hutan makes a very poor display animal. Whether he lacks confidence or whether it’s the design of the exhibit that makes the off display dens preferable to being on exhibit, I don’t know; but there’s potentially an argument there for demolishing the facility in TOTE given it’s age and the progression of exhibit standards over the past three decades.
I was lucky to see Indrah a number of times in the Carnivores exhibit. Others haven’t had the same experience and again, that could be her personality. It’s a decent exhibit and would be better utilised by a larger social grouping of tigers (siblings at dispersal age for example).
I would be surprised to see Melbourne phase out tigers indefinitely. It’s worth noting that plans change on a regular basis as management comes and goes and assuming the tigers reach their late teens, we’re talking of something that will happen five years from now (i.e a long time away). The outcome could be anything from a total phase out; to reducing the zoo’s holdings to one exhibit in the Carnviores precinct; to redeveloping the TOTE complex in five years time to recommence breeding.
