The three lions of Artis officially moved into their new home today. The new site is ten times larger than the old Kerbert Terrace, where the lions have resided for the past century. Now the lions have more to explore and they also have more choice of places to sleep. “Lions are lazy animals.”
It takes a while before the lions come out, but after a few minutes they dare to do it. From today they can fully explore their new outdoor enclosure. “It is very nice to see that they are using the accommodation well,” says director Rembrandt Sutorius. “People have to look for a while before they see the lions, but they also enjoy it.”
The fact that the lions are not immediately visible is an idea of architect Thijs de Zeeuw. He wants visitors to be a little scared by the animal. De Zeeuw: “For example, if he suddenly stands next to you behind the glass. You then realize that the lion is a huge predator, and we are actually just prey.”
And there are more things well thought out in the accommodation. “Lions are lazy animals. We mainly gave them lots of places to sleep.” De Zeeuw points behind him. “This rock is in the shade in the morning and this other rock is in the afternoon.” Some stones are also heated. “That’s also a trick,” the architect shares with us. “For example, this one at the front is heated, but that is also where the public can see the lion best.”
Short of money
For the director, this day also feels like the end of a difficult period. During corona, Artis was in financial need because the park had to close. What followed was the painful decision to get rid of the lions. “We no longer wanted to keep them on the Kerbert terrace, which was too small,” says Sutorius.
“According to the calculations, we would only be able to give them a new home in ten years, while we would like to get ahead when it comes to animal welfare.” Thanks to two generous donations, the lions were ultimately able to stay in Amsterdam.
When asked whether the new accommodation – despite the fact that it is larger than the old accommodation – is still too small, the director answers. “No, because it is also about what you offer the animals and how they use the enclosure.”
Aquarium
Last week Artis also received good news. The government supports the zoo with ten million euros to restore the aquarium. The 140-year-old monumental building had to be thoroughly restored because the salty water from the fish enclosures started to leak from the aquariums. Artis can now continue with the renovation.
Another monument in Artis is the old lion enclosure. Artis does not want to say anything about what will happen to the Kerbert terrace.
2023-10-03 18:06:00
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