A massive investment
in several big cat and large carnivore enclosures has come to fruition at one
of the UK’s most popular safari parks.
Longleat Safari Park
in Wiltshire embarked on the major upgrade over three years ago to create an
enhanced visitor experience while ensuring the absolute safety for both man and
animal.
Longleat turned to
steel fencing manufacturer Zaun Ltd and subsidiary Binns Fencing, who are
perhaps better known for their schools, prisons and major events perimeter
protection, but are also often called upon to provide enclosures for lions,
tigers and cheetahs.
Their expertise dates
way back to 2003 when they first installed Zaun’s Duo fencing with cranking at
the top of the mesh panels to keep the tigers within their enclosure at Isle of
Wight Zoo in Sandown.
Binns installed the
fencing, which saw its stunning public debut in August 2016 when Longleat’s
lions were moved into their new home on the popular TV series, Animal Park as part of the safari park’s 50th anniversary.
Head of Animal
Operations at Longleat Darren Beasley said: “We had to create a natural habitat
for them that kept both these fantastic creatures and our visitors perfectly
safe, and avoided making it look like a mesh enclosure. So you can see
them, you can smell them and really feel like you are among them.”
In all, Binns has
installed the lion and tiger reserves, a wolf enclosure and five further large
carnivore paddocks for hyenas and other animals which live within the
countryside estate.
The majority of the
more than 3.5 kilometres of fencing for Lion Country and Tiger Territory has
been 4m high Duo8 fencing with a 1m angled crank at the top and a 1.2m
horizontal panel buried into the ground to ensure the big cats can’t get under.
In addition, the hyena
enclosure required a continuous 1m concrete trench to stop them from burrowing
out.
Binns project manager
Dominic Hurley said: “It’s been great to establish such a long term
relationship with Longleat through stage after stage of phased
installations. We’re proud to have helped enhance the visitor experience
at the safari park.”
The Zaun Group has
also installed London Zoo's Asiatic lion enclosure and supplied the lions and
tigers compounds at Riga Zoo in the capital of Latvia.
