Melbourne Zoo / Werribee Zoo
Gate Enclosures (2014)
The Old Way
At Melbourne Zoo, there is a section within the Gorilla Enclosure where zookeepers can isolate and attend to a gorilla in a secure environment safely.
These security gate systems weigh over 75kgs and operate a couple of times each day as a part of the zookeepers regular routines. The daily movement of manually cranking these doors could contribute to multiple injuries including back and shoulder.
The Solution
RAZOR was approached to find a solution and safely lift these heavy doors at the push of a button.
It was determined that the Razor could easily handle the weight of the door, and the use of chains and pulleys were imperative to avoid any animal or staff interference.
Using the foundation of the Razor Drive, more torque was applied, a dynamic brake function was added and a customised mounting bracket made it more user-friendly.
Our engineers designed a specific ‘Zoo’ programme that would only allow zookeepers to use the Razor Drive if the user was holding a button, to keep maximum attention on the operation of the door.
The Outcome
After several years, the system is still used and working successfully. Confidence and reliability saw its expansion into other enclosures and more systems added to the Werribee Zoo.