Melbourne
Zoo Lion Park
Early in the 1960's, the Melbourne Zoo Board of Management, under the
guidance of Chairman Alfred Dunbavin Butcher, embarked on a visionary
project that would see the zoo animals rehoused in enclosures that would
give them more room, taking them from cramped, jail like cages, to area
that would resemble their natural habitats.
The first upgrade to Melbourne Zoo was the open air Lion Park, where
visitors could watch the lions in a large park like enclosure, with
grassy lawns, hillocks and trees. An enclosed walkway over the park
allows visitors to overlook the enclosure, which gives excellent viewing
of the lions for both young and old visitors. At times you are just
meters above these wonderful beasts, yet safe behind the wire mesh that
separates you from the lions below.
Situated almost in the centre of the zoo, the Lion Park is one of the
major attractions, and when the lions begin to roar just after lunch
time, in anticipation of being fed themselves, people scurry from all
over the zoo to watch the "Kings of the Jungle".
Best
time to see lions is around 2.00pm, as they are very active, especially
when their neighbors, the African Wild Dogs that live in the enclosure
next to the lions, are being fed. If you hang around the lion enclosure
long enough you may be lucky to see the lions being fed sometime between
3.00pm and 4.00pm, or perhaps a bit later.
Some days the keepers feed the lions a carcass, plus hang some meat
on a rope, which is a great show within itself. This doesn't take place
daily so you just have to be lucky to see this event. Lion feeding times
do seem to be late in the afternoon but are not clearly advertised as
with other animals..
The Lion Park of the Melbourne Zoo is a wonderful opportunity for camera
enthusiasts to take some momentous photographs of these wonderful beasts.
There is ample room around the lion enclosure so that everyone can plainly
see the lions in an area that resembles their natural habitat. Make
sure when you visit, that you don't miss seeing the lions of the Melbourne
Zoo.
Lion
Enclosure Melbourne Zoo