C'mon, we've all done it; thought out a certain exhibit for a favourite zoo that can stick on you're mind. I've dreamt up more than a few recentley, but one in particular that I'm gonna share here is my idea for what London Zoo could renovate the Lion Terraces into; a space on the theme of the lions with a focus and larger enclosure for them, moving the tigers to an exhibit on the North Bank. I call this exhbit 'The Gir Forest Trail', encompassing the space currently used by the lion terraces, three-island pond and the bit of lawn in front of said pond.
Vistors start by entering the ZSL walk-through avairy cliche, housing Indian birds such as Peafowl, Pheasants and Weavers. The avairy exits onto a bridge that goes over the filled in space that used to be three island pond, now a recreated Indian forest glade displaying the typical prey species' of Asiatic Lions: Axis Deer and Hanuman Langurs in a mixed exhibit. The bridge descends into another viewing area covering both the prey paddock and an enclosure built on much of the former tiger enclosure, holding Honey Badgers. Whilst the last theme was prey, the idea here is to show another creature much fiercer than lions, creating an interesting situation into whether lions really deserve such a monstrous reputation when they tend to be reclusive of people. Visitors leave this area through a natural arch of plants, onto another bridge that looks over the lion enclosure, which covers nearly three times more space than the orginal. The bridge goes into a field station, filled with interp, sculptures, TV screens of lions in the wild and ZSL's work there, vivariums of reptiles and inverts native to the Gir Forest and viewing into the lions indoor dens. After this, vistors can see the outdoor lion enclosure through glass, and opposite is an exhibit for Striped Hyeana. Throughout the whole exhibit, there is lots of signage and interactive interpretation that delivers messages of conservation and education.
And finally, a rough sketch. Apologies for the difficult-to-see text, but portrait was the easiest way to draw it.
Vistors start by entering the ZSL walk-through avairy cliche, housing Indian birds such as Peafowl, Pheasants and Weavers. The avairy exits onto a bridge that goes over the filled in space that used to be three island pond, now a recreated Indian forest glade displaying the typical prey species' of Asiatic Lions: Axis Deer and Hanuman Langurs in a mixed exhibit. The bridge descends into another viewing area covering both the prey paddock and an enclosure built on much of the former tiger enclosure, holding Honey Badgers. Whilst the last theme was prey, the idea here is to show another creature much fiercer than lions, creating an interesting situation into whether lions really deserve such a monstrous reputation when they tend to be reclusive of people. Visitors leave this area through a natural arch of plants, onto another bridge that looks over the lion enclosure, which covers nearly three times more space than the orginal. The bridge goes into a field station, filled with interp, sculptures, TV screens of lions in the wild and ZSL's work there, vivariums of reptiles and inverts native to the Gir Forest and viewing into the lions indoor dens. After this, vistors can see the outdoor lion enclosure through glass, and opposite is an exhibit for Striped Hyeana. Throughout the whole exhibit, there is lots of signage and interactive interpretation that delivers messages of conservation and education.
And finally, a rough sketch. Apologies for the difficult-to-see text, but portrait was the easiest way to draw it.
