Barrier Designs for Zoos - ZooLex Zoo Design Organization

BARRIER DESIGNS FOR ZOOS
3.4.7 Barrier recommendations & comments
If enough space is available, different types of moats are the most realistic option for barriers for
an open-air monkey exhibit as these animals are agile enough to climb most types of walls and
fences. This essentially creates a monkey island type of situation, used successfully in zoos
around the world.
The recommended front barrier and rear barrier design for macaques, and langurs is a shallow
wet moat with 0.5 mt to 0.75 mts deep water as this can be designed to look like a naturalistic
stream. Also, given the relatively small size of the animal, a shallow moat is less intimidating to
the visitor than is a deep wet or deep dry moat.
A shallow wet moat has to be used in conjunction with an hot-wire fence in the middle of the
moat to prevent the monkeys from wading across. The hot-wire fencing is a problem as it has to
be insulated from the water surface.
Alternatively a deep wet moat with maximum of 0.5 mt to 0.7 mt depth of water can be used as
a front barrier and rear barrier –but this option can only be used if the species in question is not
a swimmer. The Monkey Park in Israel has used deep wet moats in conjunction with hot-wire
fencing at the outer edge of the moats to deter even those monkeys known to be swimmers.
The third alternative is to use a deep dry moat larger than the minimum jumping distance as
the front barrier and rear barrier. The Vishapkhapatnam Zoo is of the opinion that the minimum
jumping distance should be maintained if a dry moated enclosure is provided for Nilgiri langurs.
The Hyderabad Zoo is of the opinion that monkey exhibits should be free of rodents, snakes,
water snakes, as monkeys get scared by these creatures and opt to escape. High smooth walls are
not recommended for monkey exhibits due to their expense and aesthetic unsuitability to a
monkey exhibit except smooth walls resembling a traditional monkey temple may be considered
if it fits the exhibit theme.
Snow leopard housed in chainlink
mesh type enclosure at Padmaja Naidu
Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling
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