Proposed Black Bear Exhibit Redesign
Central Zoo has a bear problem. Currently there are 2 species of bear, the Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus langier), and the sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), with a total of 7 individuals (5 and 2 respectively) all being housed in an area that is bear-ly fit to house a pair. This isn’t an issue stemming from the zoo’s incessant need to house more bears, rather it’s a result of Central Zoo being deemed a sanctuary for wayward wild animals by, their parent organization, NTNC (National Trust for Nature Conservation).
To address this issue, I took it upon myself to create and propose a design shift to help higher ups and investors, see just one way they could help improve the un-bear-able situation they have found themselves with at Central Zoo.
Problems and Considerations
A small space to house multiple individuals and 2 species
High voltage live wire present on ground level
Include an expanded water section
More verticality
Needs to have areas that allow for privacy
Have a variety of texture
More plant life
Interesting for the guests to look at
The problems for welfare in the current enclosure is readily apparent. The lack of space, lack of schedule variety, and severe overcrowding issues have all culminated in behavioral problems for all individuals currently being housed. I wanted to start by finding the environmental, day-to-day, aspects that cause the bears stress, and finding solutions to mitigate them.
To make it simple for myself, I decided to remove the middle barrier keeping the two species separate and focus on creating one substantial enclosure for the 5 black bears who really do need that extra space. A key stressor to note was the high voltage live wire that was present on ground level. It was clear that all individuals have had negative experiences with those wires as they would not go within 1 meter (~ 3 ft) of those wires.
Existing Layout
After measuring and mapping out the existing structure, I took the time to observe and implement any stressors and structural enrichment the bears experience on a daily basis. The top stressors were indeed the ever present fear of the live wire, along with cramped interior housing, and a lack of privacy from visitors anywhere in their outdoors sections.
With this map in hand, I then took the time to address as many issues as I could on the proposed redesign.
Proposed Layout
Here we can immediately see the improvements provided by the proposed layout. Firstly, there is no live wire present on ground level, removing any and all possibility of accidental shocks. By focusing on only one species, we effectively double the enclosure size and allow for 3 private indoor areas, with the largest one being shared. The water section now runs along the entirety of the bottom viewing area, allowing for far greater opportunities to swim, while the top viewing area has been drastically reduced to allow for privacy. There is also more verticality and varied substrate with the increased space allowing for greater flexibility in including platforms and enrichment addition down the road.
Final Results
The proposed redesign for the Himalayan black bears proves that any existing space can be redesigned to provide massive improvements for the animals, staff and even the guests.
If Central Zoo were to ever consider improving their bear exhibit, this proposal could serve as a valuable starting off point to focus their design philosophy.
View from upper viewing window. Glass viewing panel allows for intimate encounters with the bears, something not yet possible at Central Zoo. Click image to view video walkthrough.
View from lower walk way allows for up close chance encounters of bears swimming. Click image to view video walkthrough.
Grayscale of Orthographic view.
Color version of top down view.
Grayscale of top down view.