Here is my last set of photos from yesterdays visit to Colchester Zoo. These photos were taken just before I left at around five o'clock. So the lions had just been fed and the female Malika was going for a walk around their enclosure.
Colchesters enclosure is full of mock rock, with a couple of heated platforms and a few patches of green grass, it is fairly small, not that much larger when compared to their previous enclosure just down the path. The enclosure also only has two bedrooms, as it was originally built for lions Subu and Ashanti.
The enclosure does supply good viewing, the chainlink fence with plenty of vegetation between it and the barrier is quite pleasant, and the glass viewing area between that going up towards the house also gives good views across the enclosure. There is also a viewing area on two floors in the centre of the enclosure, however from the way it is built into the ground (the enclosure does go up a bit on a slope to the back wall, so when you are on the top floor you don't realise that you are as high, which is quite a nice touch). At the other end to the house, is a very large glassy viewing area which looks straight out to a pond, however as lions as a rule do not like water they tend to stay clear of this part and seem not to enter the pond.
As shown by the photos Malika did get fairly close, and she did try to pounce for a little boy infront of me, very interesting behaviour clearly showing that her instincts to pick on the young and the weak are still there as they should be.
One thing that does seem a shame to me, is the amount of electric wire, surely a well built chainlink fence shouldn't need the added amount of electricity? And a well built wooden and mock rock fence at the back, shouldn't need more electricity on it? It just gives it a bit of an over the top feel, and not only that, there are electric wires along the top of the enclosure, from what I can presume has been put there due to a couple of display birds (the display area is next door) have been caught by the lions, and maybe the flags are just to highlight this. It does make it look a little bit silly, and it is a shame, but is a birds display area and a lion enclosure next door really a good combination?
I hope you have enjoyed all of my Colchester photos, and there shall be more of the usual Linton photos posted very soon on my days off.
James
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