Detroit Zoo to construct modern lion habitat

[begingri]

By Catherine Kavanaugh
Daily Tribune Staff Writer

ROYAL OAK – Construction began last week on a $1 million habitat for the kings of the jungle residing at the Detroit Zoo.

Crews are using a drilling rig to bore into the ground where concrete will be poured for the foundation of 30 8–foot tall laminated glass panels that will let visitors see eye-to-eye with the six lions.

The zoo is asking its neighbors in Royal Oak and Huntington Woods to pardon any noise during construction, which is expected to last through the end of June.

“Initially, homeowners may not notice much at all,” said Patricia Janeway, zoo spokeswoman. “The construction noise will be minimal, similar to a garbage truck or snow plow at most.”

However, it will get louder when demolition of the moat walls begins in a couple weeks.

“There will be more noise at times from large jack hammers,” Janeway said. “After this work is completed in mid to late March, noise should again be modest.”

The lion’s 3,500-square foot habitat was one of the first animal exhibits featured when the Detroit Zoo opened in 1928.

“It’s due for an update,” Janeway said.

The lion habitat was ground breaking 83 years ago because it used moats instead of bars to give visitors an unobstructed view. However, the trend today is toward intimacy and security. The moat will be replaced with 2 1⁄4-inch thick, tempered glass barriers. Inside the new habitat, warming rocks will be placed near the glass to give lions a toasty perch to people watch.

The zoo had three lions until 2009, when the Detroit Zoological Society rescued three lions from a Kansas junk yard and doubled its population. The renovated habitat will double outdoor space for the lions. The glass panels will give visitors a closer look from a viewing area that will be landscaped just like the habitat.

“Landscaping in the habitat will mirror that in the viewing plaza, making the experience more immersive,” Janeway said.

Security has never been an issue at the Detroit Zoo. However, in 2007, the San Francisco Zoo had to upgrade its tiger habitat after a Siberian tiger escaped from a moat-system enclosure that didn’t meet guidelines of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The tiger killed one man and injured two others.

During the renovation at the Detroit Zoo, the lions still have access to the yard. They won’t need to be relocated. However, the lions will be off exhibit for several weeks and stay inside a building when their existing moat is filled in and the 4-foot wide glass panels are installed. The laminated glass consists of four layers of half-inch tempered glass.




Source: http://www.dailytribune.com/articles...mode=fullstory

[DetroitPlanner]

I hear they are going to have a platform like the giraffes where you can pay to feed the lions.

[Gistok]

.... sigh... the place hasn't been the same since the demise of the Chimp Amphitheatre... and the last telecast of "Sonny Elliott At The Zoo"....

But I digress...

[lizaanne]

Because those old fashioned lions, you know, they just don't know where it's at. We only have modern lions here in the D!

[DetroitPlanner]

.... sigh... the place hasn't been the same since the demise of the Chimp Amphitheatre... and the last telecast of "Sonny Elliott At The Zoo"....

But I digress...

Ahh I long for the days of watching the chimps ride mini-bikes, go carts and dancing to three dog night while the gorrillas sit in thier cold tiled cages throwing poop at the glass.

The good old days!

[Johnlodge]

Last year's "Sunset at the Zoo" fundraiser raised money to improve the lion habitat, and is in line with the Zoo's mission to modernize exhibits by giving the animals more room and a more natural setting.

The Zoo's male lion, Larson, was some idiot's "pet", he had him protecting his junkyard!

If you've never been to Sunset at the Zoo, it's a really fun event. Restaurants from all over the area set up booths and you can try dishes from each one, plus there are drinks and its one of the few times you can stroll the Zoo at night. [[with no kids!)

http://www.detroitzoo.org/Support_th...o_June_17_2011

[GOAT]

Sad. 3,200 sq ft? Cripes many houses today are larger than that for a beast that used to roam free. If we are going to have zoo's at least have the money to make a proper habitat that is larger than what is offered now [[how about 5 x's the size?). If they can't do it then the animals shold be moved to a facility that can. Besdies, our fat asses could use the walk.

[Johnlodge]

Sad. 3,200 sq ft? Cripes many houses today are larger than that for a beast that used to roam free. If we are going to have zoo's at least have the money to make a proper habitat that is larger than what is offered now [[how about 5 x's the size?). If they can't do it then the animals shold be moved to a facility that can. Besdies, our fat asses could use the walk.

These Lions didn't roam free. They were rescued from abuse at a junkyard. They are incapable of surviving in the wild.

3,500 square feet is the size of the current exhibit. The renovations will nearly double that size.

[drjeff]

They have a somewhat similar setup at the Baltimore Zoo, where I once spent 20 hours [[not continuously) observing the Lions for a college project. It's pretty cool to be that close to them.

[Gistok]

I had always hoped that one day if the Detroit Zoo wanted to expand that Rackham Golf Course would make a great Savannah where zoo animals could roam more freely, such as in the world renowned San Diego Zoo.

But that idea is now in the dustbin of history....

[mikeg19]

I've been looking forward to this kind of enclosure for a long time. I've always enjoyed going to the zoo, and now that my nephews are old enough to go and understand what's going on, it'll be nice to get them this close and have an excuse to go to the zoo a few times every summer.

[KarmicCurse]

I hope they didn't demolish some beautiful Beaux Arts lion habitat to put up this modern work. Must lions have their glass boxes too?