Large zoos have a number of different methods for presenting animals (large carnivores, especially) to the public, but the "pit" set-up is perhaps my least favorite. The lion (Panthera leo) exhibit at the National Zoo, for instance, is a a huge, deep pit with several tiers on it, the edge of the island being separated from the pit wall by a moat. The lions can't get out, but there isn't much preventing anyone from falling in, an event that isn't likely to occur but will definitely be dangerous if it does. Likewise, the pits put the animals further away from visitors than could be achieved in the plexiglass-enclosed viewing areas that allow the animals to come close or move away , and there's always the trouble of trash getting into the enclosures. Unfortunately many zoos are so old that old structures are refurbished or reused, so "carnivore pits" will probably still be around for a while.
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