ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2010

Female (I think) tapir was back on display in the paddock on a hot and humid afternoon today, noted was being very vocal with high pitched squeeks - almost like a bird or a primate. Didn't see if tapirs are included on the most recent map.
 
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Assuming that the zoonotic disease/virus was of concern. It no longer is .... a vet and/or public health hazard. :D
 
Also vaguley Indian-looking banners on bamboo poles are around the lion and tiger enclosures and a large springy ball hanging from a log has been added as enrichment in the lion enclosure.
 
Shirokuma said:
Female (I think) tapir was back on display in the paddock on a hot and humid afternoon today, noted was being very vocal with high pitched squeeks - almost like a bird or a primate. Didn't see if tapirs are included on the most recent map.
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The tapir paddock has never been closed to the public, only the house.
 
johnstoni said:
The tapir paddock has never been closed to the public, only the house.
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The tapirs hadn't been on display for a couple of months. Back in March a sign was placed on the tapir enclosure saying 'Tapirs resting: temporarily off show for veterinary procedures' and they were removed from the zoo map too.
 
Just had a look on the ZSL London Website - & it mentions the 'newly' revamped Lion enclosure. Anyone got any ideas what they've done & how it looks? I haven't been to the Zoo since Febuary...although I am going this weekend. Will take plenty of pics & post them here.
 
They replaced much of the plant beds at the front with a long glass barrier making viewing easier, they have added some new turf and done a bit of landscaping but nothing dramatic and an enrichment toy which is a kind of bouncy ball on a wooden pole has been added. The walls at the side have been painted and the viewing areas and glass spruced up a bit. The big cat area has new intepretive signs, Indian-style murals and flags on bamboo poles.
 
There are some photos in the gallery which give an idea of the changes.
 
It was pretty expensive according to the website:

The Big Cat enclosure is one of the Zoo’s most popular attractions and now visitors can get even closer to the Zoo’s endangered lion pride after a £100,000 face-lift.

Perhaps this includes the murals, flags and new interpretive signs too.
 
£100,000 with no extension, that sucks. How hard would it have been to have drained the moat and fenced the front?
 
I was thinking the same think johnstoni, the 'face-lift' has been mainly cosmetic with the exception of the enrichment toy which is, by the way, quite conspicuous and not at all naturalistic. I don't mind if it will make a significant difference to the animals' welfare but it isn't very attractive.
 
johnstoni said:
£100,000 with no extension, that sucks. How hard would it have been to have drained the moat and fenced the front?
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Of course, I was thinking the same thing- but you said it...

This enclosure could be hugely improved by draining the moat, landscaping the whole enclosure to look like Indian dry forest(as they did with the Sloth Bears) and putting in some big glass windows-as at Whipsnade's Lion enclosure.

Spending £100,000 without achieving any of that seems a great waste of their funds.
 
I actually believe the prospect of a multimillion-pound redevelopment happening within the next few years is remote, so while this facelift was largely cosmetic, i think it will prove to be cost-effective given the amount of time it remains.

That said, Bear Mountain cost £160,000
 
Pertinax said:
Of course, I was thinking the same thing- but you said it...

This enclosure could be hugely improved by draining the moat, landscaping the whole enclosure to look like Indian dry forest(as they did with the Sloth Bears) and putting in some big glass windows-as at Whipsnade's Lion enclosure.

Spending £100,000 without achieving any of that seems a great waste of their funds.
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Did someone not say on the forum the other day "you get what you pay for" ;)
 
johnstoni said:
That said, Bear Mountain cost £160,000
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But Bear Mountain involved a very large area- almost two thirds of the Mappins. Admittedly it didn't involve expensive glass viewing windows or any major alterations to the exterior of the structure. But I still reckon £100,000 could have covered bigger/better changes for the Lions. I agree that now they've done what they have, nothing more is likely to be done for a long while to come.
 
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