LAND OF THE LIONS

Amazing new experience opening Easter 2016 at ZSL London Zoo

The doors open to the public, for the Land of the Lions at ZSL London Zoo on Friday 25 March 2016, unveiling the zoo's biggest and most breath-taking experience ever.

Home to a pride of endangered Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica), the £5.7m Land of the Lions features an awe-inspiring ‘windowless-view’ of the big cat’s enclosure. As visitors enter the crumbling ruin of an amphitheatre-style Lion Temple, the majestic big cats will roam just metres away, separated only by fine wires.

Visitors are transported from the heart of London to the vibrant setting of Sasan Gir in India and covering an expanse of 2,500sqm (27,000sqft), visitors will enter through a grand stone archway, before picking up their ‘park pass’ at the Gir Tourist Information centre. They’ll then explore Sasan Gir Train Station - where the odd lion might be spotted snoozing on the tracks - or embark on a journey on the overhead walkway, to discover the troop of lively Hanuman langur monkeys, and gaze across the lions’ forest home. 

ZSL London Zoo’s designers visited the lions’ wild home in the Gujarat state in India for inspiration and ideas, and worked with members of London’s Gujarati community to ensure the exhibit lives up to the land it emulates. Rickshaws, bicycles, sacks of spices, maps, rangers’ huts, and even a life-size truck – researched, sourced and shipped from India – are dotted around Land of the Lions, both inside and out of the lions’ domain, highlighting the uniquely-close proximity in which Asiatic lions live with people in their native Indian habitat.

Visitors will become part of the story, in the brand new live-action adventure at Land of the Lions, as they help ZSL’s forest rangers deal with a ‘lion-emergency’ in the Gir Forest, and lend a hand with the veterinary team who come to the rescue. Those in search of an adrenaline-rush can hop on a bike and rely on pedal-power alone to see if they can outrun an Asiatic lion – albeit an imaginary one - using the preferred mode of transport of the conservation rangers working in the wild.

Wild Asiatic lions are found only in the Gir Forest region, in the Indian state of Gujarat. Protected by law, the lions play an important role in the local community who deeply value the presence of the big cats. But due to their limited range, Asiatic lions are at threat from disease outbreak and conflict with humans in villages less comfortable with their presence.

Providing the perfect home for the big cats, Land of the Lions promises an enthralling new experience which will support and promote ZSL’s international conservation efforts to protect Asiatic lions.

To find out more about ZSL London Zoo’s Land of the Lions exhibit and the Zoo’s conservation campaign to help protect Asiatic lions, visit www.zsl.org/lions