Animal Attractions
parkworld-online.com
required minimal modification of existing site terrain and minimal impact on the trees and environment.” Gannon offer these final few words of advice to any zoos or parks that may be thinking of adding amusement rides alongside animals: “They should do it only if they are not loosing sight of their focus on education and conservation. Animals are not to be looked at solely from an entertainment perspective. Our obligation is to protect the species through education and guest exposure. Any amusement park that wants to get into this business should first contact the AZA (
aza.org) to understand the ramifications and responsibilities of caring for animals.”
Sambesi Bootsfahrt at Zoo Hannover GO BY CABLE CAR!
Kolmården Safari, theming by Jora Vision
Believed to be the world’s first cable car ride over a wildlife park and its inhabitants, Kolmården Safari (
kolmarden.com) opened in Sweden in 2011. Supplied by Doppelmayr, the experience lasts almost half-an-hour and travels over 2.2km of the largest wildlife park in Northern Europe and represents Kolmården’s largest investment to date at SEK 120 million ($18.5m/ €13.5m). Offering a bird’s eye views of the park’s lions, bears, wolves and more, the journey is accompanied by commentary in either Swedish, Finnish or English. “We chose a cable car system because it is silent, environmentally friendly, very merciful to the animals and also offers us good capacity,” says Peter Osbeck, rides manager at sister park Gröna Lund in Stockholm, about
90 minutes from Kolmården. “The views from the cabin are beautiful and spectacular due to the park’s extraordinary nature.” The ride’s 78 eight-passenger gondolas were designed specially for the park and together provide an hourly capacity for 1,360 guests. But before explorers step on board, they are greeted by a themed entrance and waiting area created by Jora Vision. “The client originally wanted to create an African style environment but we developed a storyline which made it possible to integrate more styles,” reveals Marjolein van de Stolpe, director of development and design at Jora Vision.
Over the pages that follow will we examine in more detail a few of the ways parks and zoos are offering rides as an integral part of the animal viewing experience
Kolmården Safari, Sweden
“The story is one of an explorer travelling over the entire world collecting animals and very different items. The artefact collection is on display in the queue line, the animals can be admired from above.” Scheduled to open in 2014 at the Indianapolis Zoo (
indyzoo.com) in the US city and state of the same name will be a new aerial people mover from Chance Rides. The SkyQuest system, designed by SkyCoaster and Polercoaster inventor Bill Kitchen, will offer the zoo’s visitors the opportunity to take in the new zoo’s new Orangutan jungle exhibit from 60ft (19m) above sat inside four- passenger open-air cabins.
Guests will embark and disembark the cable-car style ride via a covered platform. Up to four passengers can ride in each basket-themed gondola. Moving at 1mph, each ride will last 15 to 20 minutes, providing an hourly capacity of 1,000. The $2 million (€1.5m) attraction is expected to become a highlight of the zoo.
Kolmården Safari 40
SkyQuest – coming soon to Indianapolis Zoo JANUARY 2014
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