Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to open London Zoo's new lion enclosure

ZSL London Zoo's new Land of the Lions enclosure will be opened by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh today. The exhibit, which has cost £5.2 million to develop, will initially house four endangered Asiatic lions.

Visitors are being promised the chance to get closer than ever to the big cats in the new enclosure which covers an an expanse of 2,500sqm (27,000sqft). The Zoo’s designers visited Gujarat in India for inspiration, and rickshaws, bicycles, sacks of spices, and even a life-size truck are dotted both inside and out of the lions’ domain.

The new enclosure will open to the public on March 25th.