While Busch Gardens Tampa Bay may be known for roller coasters such as SheiKra and Cheetah Hunt, today’s theme park began as a brewery, with gardens and caged birds, in the late 1950s. African animals were later introduced to the expansive property, with an overhead monorail taking guests high about the “veldt.” Animals have always been a key part of the Busch Gardens experience.
Organization staff provided a media tour Wednesday of Lion and Hyena Ridge, one of Busch Gardens’s largest expansions in a decade. The nearly 35,000-square-foot space in the Edge of Africa area is still under construction and will open later this year.
It will feature two interchangeable, multifunctional habitats. According to Busch Gardens zoological curator Shelly Stecklow, the attraction will be home to five brother lions and two hyenas. Since both species are scavengers, they often compete with each other. Consequently, she explained, the animals will not be able to live in the same habitat.
Lions Pascal, Lou, Henri, Hugo and Herman will be moving to Busch Gardens from the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. Hyenas Cazi and Dazi already reside at the park.
Construction workers are currently building a den for the hyenas, installing rocks and preparing the enclosure, said Busch Gardens vice president of design and engineering Andrew Schaffer. Utilities have already been installed underground.
He explained that guests will be able to get a 270-degree view of both habitats through multiple glass and mesh displays.
The exhibit size has more than doubled, Schaffer added, in comparison to the former space. There will be six new shaded structures and viewing areas.
Adding more interactive elements was a key part of the design process, he said. They include play structures, water features and heated and cooled rocks.
Busch Gardens is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing conservation, education, science and recreation efforts. Stecklow added that the organization’s requirements are changing. Particularly, AZA leaders are encouraging the construction of “bigger spaces” for the animal residents that offer more interactivity.
She explained that thoughtful enhancements can provide necessary “mental and physical stimulation.”
“We know what the animals find reinforcing or fun,” Stecklow said. “For our hyenas, we know that they love to swim and play in water. Creating an inner pool for them was definitely one of our asks.”
Building a space that has different elevations was also requested. Lions “spend a lot of time in higher up places,” she added.
Busch Gardens’s zoological team will have “better” access to the habitats, Schaffer explained. The park’s design team decided to create bridges in the exhibit, including one for staff vehicles.
Additionally, there will be a protected bridge for guests to walk across. This, he said, will give them a more “immersive” experience.
“The original area was built in 1997,” Schaffer added. “So, having to go back and work on an existing site is always a challenge. You find a lot of unknowns. Fun fact: we found some old monorail foundations under the ground.”
Busch Gardens operated the monorail through its open “veldt” from 1966 to 1999. Lion and Hyena Ridge’s design has been in the works for several years.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
