EAZA NEWS 48 - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

New Sri Lankan leopard enclosure at Banham Zoo
by Gary Batters, Banham Zoo, United Kingdom
Banham Zoo has housed Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera
pardus kotiya) for eight years. We completed a much larger
enclosure, where we now house our pair of these splendid cats,
since August 2003.
The approximately 1,575 m2 main outside enclosure is
surrounded by a five metres high fence with a curved overhang
of two metres. The stainless steel-weave enclosure mesh is
imported from the USA. Four electric hot wires are positioned
2.5 m above the ground on the fence with a further ten
wires at 20 cm intervals around the curve of the overhang.
The electric fence is powered by a mains-operated cattle
fence energiser with a battery back-up system. The cats
were trained to avoid electric fencing before being released
into the large enclosure. The fence surrounds a grass area
with live trees, a raised walkway of cut trees and a landscaped
area with a rock face. There is a small concrete pond for
drinking water. The public views the exhibit through the
New Enclosures
enclosure fence and two glass fronted viewing shelters.
Future planting within the safety barrier will encourage visitors
to view the animals primarily from the visitor shelters.
The house contains three 4 x 2 x 2 m night dens, one of
which has underfloor heating. There is a large day den
(5.5 x 5.5 m with a sloping ceiling from 3.7 m to 2.7 m
at the front) with shelves positioned at varying heights and
natural branching; public viewing is through glass. On the
end of the house is an outside holding cage (7.5 m x 5.5 m
with a sloping ceiling from 3.7 m to 2.7 m at the front) with
natural branching. Access to the holding cage is through a
weld mesh tunnel containing a crush cage. The total cost for
the facility was UK£150,000 (€ 226,000).
Other new facilities in Banham Zoo include a tiger enclosure
(1997), the ‘Heavy Horse Centre’ (1999), the ‘Children’s
Farmbarn’ (2000) and a vulture aviary (2000). Banham Zoo
also opened a much larger facility for the black and white
colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis) in 2002.
Photo: Banham Zoo
EAZA News 48 – 2004
23
October - November - December