The main purpose of this visit to the Zoo was to see the new Sumatran Tiger enclosure. It had opened the day before. It certainly was impressive – both for these magnificent animals and also allowing people to observe them. It also relates well to the tiger’s conservation.
It starts with a group of visitors entering a chamber that looks like you are in an aeroplane. The illusion is made more real when TV monitors on the side show a runway out side and the place then takes off. After surviving a storm, you seem to be flying over the Sumatran jungle. Then a ranger appears on a different monitor and you hear a conservation message. Then the “plane” lands, another door opens and you emerge into an Indonesian village. You pass stalls and a garage and then enter a national park where you can see the tigers.
I made two visits to the enclosure. Most of the tigers were asleep on my first visit. I think there are four tigers currently there. Two are the now quite large cubs (6 years old) of the female tiger and they are in one section. Two other sections had a male and female tiger. All the sections are quite specious with interesting terrain. Large glass windows provide good places for photographers.
Of course, I also saw a lot of there animals, and here is a selection of photos –
More photos are online here on my website.