A new home for the lions at Barcelona Zoo
Located in the Savannah-Sahel bioma, with giraffes, elephants and other species, the enclosure has an area of 2,000 square metres, including 400 square metres of sleeping quarters. The goal of the new area is to improve the well-being of the species that live there. It is also an important teaching resource for explaining the characteristics of the animals living in an ecosystem which relies heavily on a short rainy season and is therefore very sensitive to climate change.
The enclosure is made up of dunes and rock formations similar to mountainous areas in the Sahel, with a wadi, a space for permanent or seasonal water which allows for aquatic life in dry areas, as well as small waterfall which will operate during the rainy season in the Sahel, filling the wadi.
The lions, Run-Run, Nima and Zala (16 years old) and Kiumbe (4 years old), have adapted well to the new space, gradually discovering the different parts from a safe zone established at the start.
They can choose their place in the enclosure according to the time of year, while visitors can see them from four glass observation points without disturbing them. The observation points allow visitors to appreciate their size and anatomical details close-up.
The Sahel area at the Zoo
Barcelona Zoo is actively committed to the conservation of the biodiversity of the Savannah and the Sahel, as well as its promotion and awareness of its values. The new model for the zoo focuses on local fauna, without foregoing participation in projects involving fauna from afar in natural habitats where the team of professionals can directly benefit the conservation of biodiversity.
The facility has therefore included this area in its strategic plan and is working on the final stages of a large complex devoted to the Sahel ecosystem. The third and final stage will see the elephants installed in a new Sahel interpretation centre.
The design of all the facilities is based on the animals’ needs, a common trait being the need to have free access to indoor and outdoor spaces (except in cold periods or during periods needed for cleaning or other technical aspects).
