How to keep a lion enclosure secure: Parc Safari reveals protocols

Safety a priority with lion care The mauling at Granby Zoo Monday has called into question security at zoos across the province.

The mauling at Granby Zoo Monday has called into question security at zoos across the province.

Parc Safari administration showed CTV Montreal Tuesday the steps it takes to ensure its employees and animals remain safe.

“Every door that we have is locked until the last minute when we start closing up the enclosures,” explained Nathalie Santerre, curator of the zoo in Hemmingford, the in the Eastern Townships.

“We make sure that all our fences are good, so there are no holes, there's no cutting in the fences, there's no tree that fell on the fence.”

Before the lions are released for the day, Santerre explained that there is a visual inspection of their quarters to ensure all animals are healthy and accounted for, followed by a security check of the enclosures.

That happens every single day, she said.

In addition to the padlock, the doors connecting enclosures are chained shut, because a lion once broke the padlock.

Staff also ensures the electrified fence is working correctly and all security checks are completed by a team.

“Two people make sure the doors are properly closed, properly locked also,” she said.

The doors to the enclosure are padlocked to prevent an accidental opening, whether from human or mechanical error.

Even though a team performs the safety check, one person is in charge.

“Only that person has the key to move the cats,” said Santerre.

Inside the quarters, doors are colour coded: blue doors connect holding pens and red doors enter into the enclosure.

The lions are never released until all checks are completed.

“Safety is first and foremost for the animals, for the people who work with them and for our guests,” said Parc Safari president Jean-Pierre Ranger. “Can it be enhanced? Can things be done differently? The answer is yes. But as we speak now, these are state-of-the-art conditions for keeping felines in captivity.”

The mauling in Granby has led to a criticism of zoos in general and the administration at Parc Safari is arguing in favour of zoos, saying that with human encroachment on wild habitat, zoos become more and more important for safeguarding threatened and endangered species.

“There are fewer and fewer wild places where such animals can roam free,” said Ranger.