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Lion Enclosure Melbourne Zoo

Image of Lions at Melbourne Zoo.Lion Enclosure Melbourne Zoo.
Melbourne Lion Park, Zoological Gardens, Parkville

The Melbourne Zoo lion park is an open air exhibit where the lions roam in a roomy parkland area. One of the must see animals at any zoo, the lions of Melbourne Zoo are always visible unless their enclosure is being cleaned.

Easy viewing is afforded to all visitors either at ground level or via the raised catwalk, which is wheelchair accessible from one end.

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Image of roaring lion of Melbourne Zoo. 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".

Image of Melbourne Zoo Lion.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.

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