Libearty is a great place, especially because you can meet a bear who’s just a few meters away. But wouldn’t it be nice to observe the entire landscape as a panorama? When sketching plans for a platform perched… in an oak, we thought not only of providing that experience, but also of accommodating the many photo enthusiasts who visit the sanctuary. The German organization Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V. recently sponsored the Visitors’ Center, and now they’ve supported this project too with a major gift of 5000 euros.
Work on the platform took about three months and was done by a team that specializes in building similar structures. More than 8 square meters of wood and over 400 meters of cable were used in the platform’s construction. For the security of our visitors, a safety net was installed.The design includes a twenty-five-square-meter wooden platform supported by an oak. The platform can be reached by a suspension bridge that’s linked to another oak. A wooden staircase provides access to the bridge. For a better safety, both oaks are anchored to the ground and to other trees.
Some of the footage for the Animal Planet’s documentary about Libearty was filmed from this platform. The platform is situated right accross the pool from the first enclosure, with views of Charles’, Max’s and Ursula’s enclosures. In the winter season, visitors can even observe the wolves in their special enclosure.
