SNEAK PEEK: Lion & Hyena Ridge at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is getting ready to debut one of the world's most immersive animal habitats and the park's largest expansion in a decade, and we got a sneak peek during a hard-hat tour as construction crews work to bring Lion & Hyena Ridge to life.
It's all coming together in the Edge of Africa realm, in the same area where the previous lion and hyena habitat was, but this one is nearly triple in size, and from what we saw…it's going to be extraordinary. It's going to give you and the kids a 270-degree view of these incredible animals as they explore their new habitat. And yes, there will be plenty of shade for you as you peer through the new expansive glass viewing windows.
Related: Don't miss your chance to snag a FREE Busch Gardens Preschool Card
But that's not all… we've got a chance to speak with the people who are making this happen, and we've got lots of new details for you, so let's DIG in!
When will Lion and Hyena Ridge open?
We'll address this question first since it's one we all want to know. We don't have an exact date yet, but Busch Gardens says it's coming soon. By the looks of it, it will be among your must-dos this summer break in Tampa Bay!
What is the exhibit like?
The 35,000 square foot savanna terrain will give you a peek at the lions and hyenas in a way you've never seen them before.
“This is a massive space,” said Andrew Schaffer, VP of Design and Engineering at Busch Gardens. “You're going to get a 270-degree view around all of the different sides, where you'll be able to see down into the moat, and you'll be able to see in through the front of the habitat. We've got many different viewing angles
of these habitats. We've got glass, we've got mesh viewing areas, we've got the inside of the cave, which was a viewing area before, but a lot of this area is much larger and expanded from the time before.”
Schaffer tells us you'll even get to view the lions and hyenas from above while walking across a pedestrian bridge, and of course, from Cheetah Hunt or the SkyRide if you decide to ride.
Like the previous exhibit, there will be two areas in the habitat for the lions and hyenas to explore, but never at the same time.
They are natural competitors in the wild, and Busch Gardens' animal care team wants to avoid conflict, so the lions and hyenas will be kept separate from each other, but they will get to take turns on each side of the habitat.
The separation is all part of the Conflict & Competition story Busch Gardens is trying to tell.
Lions and hyenas are not only competing and conflicting against each other in the wild, but they are also facing conflict with humans. It is hoped that these animal ambassadors will help spread the message about the importance of preserving their species and maybe inspire future zookeepers and conservationists.
As you observe the animals and learn about them through signage and from zookeepers, you'll get to decide whether you're Team Lion or Team Hyena…and it's totally okay to root for both sides. We know we will be!
Tell us about the animals at Lion and Hyena Ridge!
The animals are the main event, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay can't wait to welcome a coalition of five lion brothers.
Fun Fact: A group of male lions is called a coalition, while a group of male and female lions is called a pride.
“They're from the same litter, so that's pretty remarkable as well. There are other AZA (American Zoos and Aquariums) institutions here in the country that have two, three, maybe four lions, but to have five, this is going to be a pretty unique experience. So we're pretty excited for everybody to see them, especially five together,” said Shelly Stecklow, Zoological Curator at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
The brothers are still young; teenagers in lion years, so it'll be a unique opportunity to not only see a large group of lions together, but also grow up with them.
So, don't be surprised if they haven't quite grown out their manes when you see them this summer–they're working on it, just like human teenage boys. We think they look pretty great, so far!
Their names are: Pascal, Lou, Henri, Hugo, and Herman.
The pair of hyenas, Cazi and Dazi, were at Busch Gardens in the previous habitat and have been living behind the scenes, as their new home is being built. They are a breeding pair and part of Busch Gardens' species survival program.
“We know them really well. So we've been working on their training, spending time with them, and getting them prepared to move over here to this area,” Stecklow told us.
More cool features you'll see at the NEW Lion and Hyena Ridge Habitat
As we mentioned before, there are two sections of this habitat that will keep the lions and hyenas separate from each other, but also allow them to easily trade places.
One side features a pool area that was designed with Cazi, the female hyena, in mind, who apparently loves to play in water.
“It is going to be different levels as well, so we're going to see a waterfall in a very large pool, and that pool has different heights, elevations, and widths, so the animals can show off those natural behaviors. Hyenas are natural swimmers, and specifically, our female hyena, Cazi. She loves to play in water. She will actually roll in it. She'll be on her back with her legs up in the air. She likes to splash and play with Dazi, the male hyena,” said Stecklow.
Stecklow told us lions are not as interested in water, but will swim and wade in it. Her team is looking forward to seeing how they'll respond to it, but they've created plenty of areas with lions in mind, including elevated rock structures.
“They like to be in those higher elevations, and that natural behavior, looking over the savanna, looking for their prey, looking for any type of intruder that may be close to them, so that they can protect their environment or their territory,” said Stecklow. “This habitat also provides that.”
There are also heating and cooling rocks going in, and a den for hyenas. There are some other big changes in the works, too.
“We've got a pedestrian bridge that goes across one of the two habitats, so our guests will be able to walk across straight through the habitat. So that's really neat getting able to go directly through their habitat. We've got a vehicle bridge that's going to be in this habitat to actually get access in and out of this habitat better than we've ever been able to,” said Schaffer.
The access will allow the team to access the habitat with larger equipment and trucks for maintenance and even to bring in things like fallen logs.
“The animals can claw on them; that's one way they can sharpen their nails. They can scent mark on them just so they are showing and letting everybody else know this is their territory. They can play on them. We can hide food items in it. So we'll be able to bring those types of items here on the habitat to create some variability for the animals,” explained Stecklow.
Building toward opening day
The entire team at Busch Gardens Tampa has helped with the design and development of this massive project, and it's one that's been years in the making. And while they are excited to finally meet the lions, they are most excited about the opportunity for families like yours to experience the animals they have grown up loving. And they hope a visit might inspire your child to grow up and work alongside them!
“We know that a lot of people may never have an opportunity to go to Africa in their lifetime. So to be able to bring Africa here and for our guests to see them, the two top apex predators in Africa, it's a great way for us to let the guests see them up close because they may never see five male lions anywhere else,” said Stecklow.
“Hopefully, they'll care a little bit more about them when they leave. There are a lot of
documentaries on TV that you can learn about them, but seeing them up close and personal creates a memory for them that hopefully they can share with their families and come back again. Every day is going to be different, so if you come back, it's going to be a different day the next day.”
Digging up the past, building toward the future
Before we close out this article, we wanted to share another fun thing that happened during the construction of Lion & Hyena Ridge. Those of us who have called Tampa Bay home for a long time may recall that Busch Gardens once had a monorail system, which went by a few different names, but was mostly remembered as the SkyRail Safari.
In fact, what's now Cheetah Hunt was once a monorail station.
Construction crews found the foundation of the monorail system as they dug into the ground in an area that was part of the African Veldt (now the Serengeti Plain).
“Some of us weren't here when the monorail was around, so finding that was fun,” said Schaffer.
It's kind of a cool nod to the park's history as it builds toward the future.
