Crafting an enclosure for your zoo animals comes with a range of problems. On the one hand, you need to make it safe and comfortable for the animals to live in. On the other, you need to ensure its secure, attractive, and easy for visitors to view the animals through.
At ARC Structures, we’re experts in the field of zoo enclosures and designs. We can help you to get the best enclosures for your visitors and animals. In this article, we’ll walk you through key principles of zoo enclosure design, offer insight on modern materials and techniques, and help you improve animal welfare and enrichment at your zoo.
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The 8 Key Principles of Zoo Enclosure Design
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The Importance of Animal Welfare
First and foremost, your zoo enclosure needs to support welfare for your animals. This means providing enough space so they can move around as they would in the wild, giving them access to climbing, swimming, foraging, and other natural behaviours.
Welfare also extends to available activities like toys, puzzles, hiding spots, and terrain. Having these features will stimulate physical and mental activity, reducing boredom and providing stress relief which leads to less conflict and aggression.
You’re under a duty to properly care for the animals at your zoo, so making them comfortable should be your top priority. This has added benefits as well, increasing their longevity and improving the visitor experience due to happier, more active animals.
For welfare in action, check out our work on this bespoke aviary structure >
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Mimicking their Natural Habitat
Enclosures should be as close as possible to the natural habitats of the animals they contain. This includes climate, vegetation, terrain, and many more factors that are needed for animals to thrive, find food and shelter, and entertain themselves. Closely replicating the natural habit is especially important for animals not born in captivity, who will be more used to their natural environment, helping them feel relaxed and comfortable.
Likewise, mimicking the natural habitat provides benefits to visitors as it creates a more distinct and interesting viewing experience due to the dynamic, educational backdrop of the enclosure.
One thing to keep in mind is airflow. In the wild, animals will be used to feeling the breeze and picking up the scents that come with it. While something like a glass enclosure offers great protection and viewing experience, it doesn’t have the same breathability as an architectural mesh or cable net enclosure. You should keep this in mind when trying to mimic the natural habitat as closely as possible.
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Animal and Visitor Safety
Enclosures must be robust enough as to protect both the animals and your visitors.
For animals, this means keeping them safe from intruders and predators, while also ensuring the enclosure itself doesn’t have anything harmful (like sharp objects, barbed wire, or exposed electricals).
For visitors, this means preventing any possible harm from the animals themselves, as well as making the exterior of the enclosure safe to observe.
The first step to safety is ensuring a respectable distance between observation points and the animal enclosure, so people aren’t inclined to do things like poke fingers, objects, or food through the gaps. Next is the enclosure itself, where you can consider things like:
- Fences
- Barriers
- Cable netting or mesh
- Glass
- Moats
The solution you pick should be proportional to the danger your animals and visitors face, as well as an option that is both aesthetic and in-keeping with your zoo’s look and feel.
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Understanding Animal Social Needs
Some animals are social, and require housing with others of their species. This means having enough space to accommodate their group – something which the scalable animal enclosures from ARC can easily account for.
Otherwise, animals might have individual social needs such as being solitary, territorial, or requiring privacy and refuge areas – even from the eye of the public. Providing these spaces requires a dynamic space with lots of room to include features that tailor to the individual.
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How to Create an Enriching Environment
An enriching environment includes many features found in the wild, and extends beyond just a woodchip floor and fancy enclosure. Some things you should consider adding include:
- Variety in terrain and structure
- Rocks
- Trees
- Water features
- Elevation differences
- Foraging opportunities
- Toys, puzzles, games
- Hiding spots
You should consider adding these features in a way that it makes the living experience better for the animals, but also the viewing experience better for the visitors.
What materials should I use in my zoo enclosure?
The materials you use also play a part in creating an enriching environment. For example, the internal features should be limited to natural materials, and things like wooden structures, providing a setup that’s as close to home as possible.
For the enclosure itself, using architectural mesh or cable netting is a great option as it is robust, but softer than options like metal or glass, providing a good viewing experience while reducing the risk of injury to the animals.
- Variety in terrain and structure
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Sustainable Zoo Enclosure Design
The best zoo enclosures will also take into account the environment. These will have a focus on minimising environmental impacts through the use of sustainable materials, energy-efficient lighting (where needed), and proper waste management.
Waste management is an important part of zoo maintenance, both from the waste produced by park visitors and from the animals themselves. Keeping a sanitary living space is crucial for animal welfare, so proper waste management should be at the top of your priority list.
Equally, water conservation is another aspect of sustainability. Try to use water efficiently in pools, drinking systems, and when watering vegetation, creating cyclical recycling systems whenever possible.
Find out how we can help you create the best zoo enclosure design >
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Ensuring a Great Visitor Experience
The first step to a great visitor experience is making sure they can actually see the animals at your zoo. While things like sleep cycles might get in the way, you can often work around this with screens showing the interiors of the animal enclosure.
Meanwhile, providing a see-through enclosure made out of glass or mesh will offer the best viewing experience. For mesh, you should make sure it is fine enough to see through, but dense enough that there is no risk of animals getting in or out.
Educational value is also important. This can be shown both through creating an environment that’s true to the animal’s natural habitat, and also through additional interactive features like signs, displays, and viewing stations. Regular talks and feedings always provide something interesting for people to attend, and make their experience at your zoo more informative.
See how we created a great visitor experience at Slimbridge WWT >
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Developing an Adaptable Habitat
Finally, you should make your zoo enclosure adaptable. This means creating a space that can accommodate changes in animal population, as well as using materials that can stand the tests of time and weather.
At ARC Structures, we believe in providing solutions that are both durable and long-lasting, while also minimising the need for maintenance or repairs. They can be made bespoke to you, ensuring you have the perfect fit for the animals at your zoo.
Further reduce your maintenance requirements with our maintenance service >
Bespoke Zoo Enclosure Designs from ARC Structures
By following these eight principles, you should be able to create a zoo enclosure that supports your animals’ wellbeing while also enhancing the visitor experience. The next step is to find a design that works for you.
At ARC, we can help you through the entire process. From design to project management and installation, our services enable us to help implement your zoo enclosure vision to achieve maximum impact. By utilising our architectural mesh or cable net enclosures, you provide a suitable, sustainable, and effective space for animals to enjoy, and for people to visit. To find out more, contact our team today!