Wellington Zoo snow leopard habitat

We built a new home for two snow leopards on a steep site at Wellington Zoo. It is designed to mimic their mountainous territory as closely as possible, with extensive retaining works hidden behind natural-looking structures and a strong but transparent steel mesh roof.

Every element of the project was bespoke, with our team involved on an ECI basis to work with the architects and zoo staff to test prototypes, develop the methodology, staging and logistics, and ensure that MPI’s detailed compliance requirements were met. We got key subcontractors involved from the planning stages, which was key to proactively managing potential challenges and set the wider team up for a collaborative relationship on this unique, highly technical project.

We used a combination of harnesses and carefully designed scaffolding to access the narrow, near-vertical site, and coordinated plant and machinery based on what could be operated safely in the limited space available. Public safety was also paramount, with many of the materials, including massive rocks, carefully craned in without interrupting public access or disturbing nearby animals.

Sustainability was an important consideration for the client, with only sustainably sourced FSC timber used on the project. We recycled materials where possible, using concrete from the old sun bear exhibit on the site to fill the moat and repurposing large branches from other parts of the zoo for the cats to climb on.

We’re delighted to hear that the snow leopards have settled in well, and the zoo has enjoyed record numbers of visitors.