Visitor Circulation and Animal Habitat Displays

A series of pathways from the Entry Precinct take visitors through the Core Observation area. Each path is laid out as a closed loop, leading people past and (if and where possible) through the animal exhibits, offering close viewing experiences while also respecting the animals’ needs for privacy and comfort.

Small animal displays are located closest to the Entry Precinct. The pathway then leads to a second tier of exhibits, which feature larger species such as clouded leopard, various primates (langur, macaques, gibbons and siamang), sun bear, dhole, and jackal. At least one walk-through aviary structure is also located here. Small animal species could also be displayed in this second tier section, to add variety and interest to the visitor experience.

Visitor circulation around the display site will be designed to include a mix of discoveries and experiences, with special attention to highlighting any particularly fascinating features of the landscape that can be incorporated into the experience. At least one section will provide the opportunity for walking through the forest at canopy level.

The furthest limit of each closed loop takes visitors into the third tier, an outer ring of display areas. This area focuses on large animals, notably tigers and elephants. Their location here will encourage people to walk the jungle trails to go and discover of these big and dramatic animals, thus maximizing the visitor experience. This configuration also ensures the best opportunity for expanding these big animal areas in future if necessary. The number of elephant enclosures in the first stage of development will of course depend upon thenumber and the type of elephants acquired by the Sanctuary. But it should be noted that whereas some will be suitable for life in social groups, it is most probable that other individuals will need to be kept apart.

Elephant enclosures will be made secure with post and cable fences, as at PAWS 2000. The spaces will vary in size, but each will be as large as possible. Trees inside the enclosures will be protected from elephant predation. The elephants will require simple shade structures and an area of hard standing, but all other facilities should be as natural as possible and should always include a water feature. (A second and very large elephant communal area is also recommended in the open woodland habitat area, and is described below.)

A Forest Conservation Walk leads off from the outer reach of one of the closed loops. This trail takes visitors to close up contact with particularly impressive mature trees, and to the natural stream area. It gives a sense of deep immersion in the quiet of the jungle, before returning visitors back to the point where they left the closed loop system.

Each closed loop in the Core Observation area always leads back to the Entry Precinct, so that visitors cannot get lost. This layout also allows people an opportunity for rest and relaxation in the Entry Precinct before embarking on another new closed loop to seek and discover different animals. The maximum distance of any loop should not exceed about 1 km.

If visitors do not wish to return directly to the Entry Precinct while they are any one closed loop, they can choose instead to take a short linking trail to the adjacent closed loop, and continue exploring new animal exhibits throughout the Core display zone.

There are thus many variations that visitors can select to explore the animal display areas, but they never have to face making a decision that will preclude any other. They will never have to miss one part of the display for the sake of any other, and will never have to back-track.

Sanctuary Facilities

The staff quarters and support facilities are located adjacent to and visible from the road, for both convenience and security. This area includes the hospital, offices,stores, kitchens, workshops, garage, research facilities, conservation center, and
housing accommodation for staff and visiting researchers.

The helicopter pad is also adjacent to this area. The Facilities area has separate road access to the Core Observation area and a direct link to the Service Road system.

The service road navigates the perimeter of the display area, allowing vehicular access without intruding upon visitorpathways. It permits servicing of the exhibit areas and animal holding areas with minimal intrusion and maximum convenience.

Visitor parking will be close to the Entry Precinct, designed to meld into the forest in a series of small and discrete parking sections set amongst the trees. It will be sufficiently distant from the road to ensure a sense of immersion and arrival within the
forest, but close enough to allow easy strolling access to the Entry. It will be important to provide visitors with a welcoming landscape as they approach the central area; one that beguiles and entices people with a welcoming feel and a sense of imminent adventure.

If overnight accommodation is to be provided for paying guests in the future, it should
be located to create a feeling of security yet of separation from the day visitors and
staff. It will require its own road access. A potential site is marked on the plan.

Open woodland and marshland satellite displays

A second major viewing area is provided at the edge of the closed canopy forest, in
open woodland habitat. It has several purposes:

• Exploits a suitable for animal species of more open woodland habitats.
• Oppoturnity for creating various and large water bodies, particularly for elephants
• Increased visitor attention and exploration with a greater diversity of experiences

It is considered that 3 kms is the maximum that could be sensibly traversed between the Core Observation area and the open woodland habitat. (The siting of the Core Observation area has been dictated partly by consideration of wanting some distance
from the secondary viewing area in the more open woodland habitats, and by the existence of a section of higher ground that would be best left alone so as not to introduce problems with grades and access for visitors.) The idea of two separate
display areas and their proposed configuration is thus submitted as an acceptable compromise between conflicting demands and the maximizing of different opportunities.

Each of the elephant enclosures in the Core Observation area is linked by a raceway that allows individual elephants to be moved safely from one area to another. These raceways also connect to a circulation link (the ‘Elephant Walk’) between the Core area and the secondary marshland display habitats on the edge of the open woodland habitats. This connecting 3 km raceway allows and encourages significant amounts of walking each day by the elephants.

A vehicular track also connects the Core Observation area and this open woodland site. Visitors can therefore be taken to a Lodge on the edge of the new marshland, where they can enjoy light refreshments, and leisurely enjoy watching the elephants in an aquatic environment.

The water areas for the elephants will be diverse, ranging from large expanses of marshy ground to many deeper water areas, averaging about 1 metre in depth. A very deep section in the foreground, up to 5 metres depth, allows opportunity to develop
underwater viewing of completely submerged elephants. Careful and detailed research will be required for this unique development. It is at this stage assumed that a relatively small section could allow for elephant underwater activity as well being
feasible for a sensible degree of water filtration to ensure viewing clarity. Also in this open display area on the edge of the forest are exhibition habitats for gaur, banteng, hog deer, sambar, and Eld’s deer. Cranes, pelicans, storks and waterfowl will be enticed to take up residence in the elephant marshland habitats.