Best Big Cat Enclosure in the UK

M

Mike11

Well-Known Member
Hello to everyone,
I thought this would be quite a good thing to pick up on, we all have our different tastes for enclosure designs so what is everyones favourite Cat Enclosure, I dont mind which species you include out of the Big Cats and how ever many favourites you have.
I hope this would be quite a good discussion to have,
I will post mine as soon as the thread gets up and going.
Looking forward to see what they are!
Regards
 
spirit of the jaguar at chester is in my view a fantastic enclosure the jags. both inside and out, i prefer the jungley outdoor area but i think its great they have the option of two enclosures representing two different terrains
 
Thanks for replying to the thread so far, My favourite Big Cat enclosure's have got to be Whipsnade Zoo's Lion Enclosure it covers a wide area of plains and woodlands and offers the lions lots of privacy as the hill obstructs the view as well do the trees and rocks.The view from the Oryx enclosure is breath-taking as the fence is hidden you can also got really good views from the floor to cielling glass that is in the viewing area.
Whipsnade's Tiger enclosure this really big wooded enclosure is full of good vantage points for the tigers to be viewed from aswell as lots of privacy for the cats and is a very natural enclosure for Amur's.
Sorry they are both Whipsnade but it is just coincidence,One of the main reasons why i like these enclosures is they have no indoor viewing so the cats can go somewhere without visitors benig able to see them.
Regards
 
My favourite big cat enclosure is the new Amur tiger enclosure at the HWP, simple in its conception, a slice of birch woodland, but set in the magnificent highlands of Scotland, with the right climate for these animals, and with fingers crossed, cubs due in the summer, this exhibit should fulfill its needs for the animals.
 
I agree with kiang; the most realistic enviroment for amur tigers in the UK IMO.

I'd also nominate Marwell's snow leopard (if we're counting them as big cats here) exhibit Roof of the World; very well themed with a rock cliff backdrop, full of himalayan plants and a waterfall feeding a stream.
 
Just looking at this thread, we have got a good assortment of quality enclosures in the UK
- Chester Jaguar
- Chester Lion
- Whipsnade Tiger
- Whipsnade Lion
- HWP tiger
- Marwell Snow Leopard

Africa Alive's Lion enclosure also looks very good and it could be said that Chester's tiger enclosure is very well planted. Colchester's tiger enclosure seems decent from the few photos i've seen.

If we're including Cheetahs, Chester's must be top of the pile and Whipsnade's seems pretty good as well.

What are the Aspinall big cat enclosures and Paignton's tiger enclosure like?
 
I think the Howletts bengal tiger enclosures near the entrance are the best, wooden platform, pool and so many bushes that you cant actually see the back of the enclosure! Means the cats can hide away and get away from ther adoring public. The clouded leopard encloosures at Howletts are excellent too, very dense and plenty of climbing structures.
 
I think Paignton's tiger and lion enclosures are probably the best, just basically woodland with a lot of privacy for the animals, always good.
I've never been that much of a fan of Chester's jaguar enclosure though, it's big and looks jungly, but the outdoor doesn't seem to give any enrichment, e.g. climbing opportunities. I'm not saying it's at all bad, I just think it's a bit over rated.
 
I'm not actually a big fan of the jaguar enclosure at Chester. Aesthetically I just don't like it, the building is ugly and there are lots of fences everywhere. Although I haven't seen them yet in person, the cheetah enclosures look far more attractive.
 
Marwell Dalek said:
I'd also nominate Marwell's snow leopard (if we're counting them as big cats here) exhibit Roof of the World; very well themed with a rock cliff backdrop, full of himalayan plants and a waterfall feeding a stream.
Click to expand...

The exhibit is good in appearance but ive always said the exhibit is far too small, especially when it is divided in half but the planting and rock work in the exhibit makes it very unique and very natural looking. Good and bad points :)
 
I was only counting the collections that ive visited, I have never seen the Highland Wildlife Park Tiger enclosure only pictures and it does look fantastic!
I have also seen pictures of Africa Alive and by the looks of it it seems very good and i was rather impressed
From what ive seen Chester Zoo's Cheetah enclosure i really like it and it is alot better than Cheetah Rock at Whipsnade it offers them alot more privacy and abit more room i think better design in general.
I am hoping to visit Howletts on Thursday so if any of you would like me to write a review of the zoo or just comment on the Big Cat enclosure's i will be very happy to do so,Big Cats are my passion so im really looking forward to my visit!, Aswell as seeing the Howletts Gorillas.
This thread is getting on quite nicely now,I like the Enclosures weve all chosen.
Regards
 
A few of my favourites for particular cats:

Tigers: I'm surprised no one has mentioned the IOW Zoo's Tiger Sanctuary, the Kanha exhibit especially is awsome. And, once all five stages are completed, the UK's largest group of tigers will be rotated through five enclosures, each with different features for the cats. In terms of being natural, Paignton has a nice enclosure, it is large and wooded although a bit basic.

Snow Leopard: Port Lympne have a great Snow Leopard enclosure, it is open and situated on a hill. However, I worry that the fences are too low and a determined animal could jump them. Marwell also have a cool exhibit, and probably the most realistic, although like Tigerlemurguy I would prefer it to be larger.

Clouded Leopards: I'd say the best enclosure is undoubtedly at the RSCC ;).

Others:
Jaguars - Chester.
Cheetah - Chester (incidentally, for a small zoo, I seem to remember Exmoor's being rather nice).
Leopard - Marwell.
Lions - I can't think of any particularly knock out exhibits but there are plenty of average ones.
 
I think Marwell's snow leopard exhbit is very big in my opinion. And IOW tigers is another, though I haven't seen them for myself.
 
I havent been to the Isle Of Wight Zoo but i have seen pics of the new Tiger enclosures and the look amazing!
I cant wait to see them,
Regards
 
you serious about rscc!

big cats are also my passion, so will have a think and post later
 
The ;) meant he was being sarcastic...
 
I would guess there would be too many to list, considering the amount of zoos that have closed in the UK, e.g.- Basildon was mentioned on another thread, and I saw the enclosures on TV and well... I could house lions better in my back garden!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top