London Zoo has revealed plans to remove cages and break down barriers to give visitors a more natural, safari park experience.

The disposal of cages has already begun with the zoo’s launch of its flagship African bird safari. Opening on 17 July, the attraction allows the public to walk through a specially constructed aviary featuring hornbills, lilac-breasted rollers and a variety of other birds.

Following news that visitor numbers increased by 40,000 since the opening of a monkey walkway in March, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) – which owns the north London zoo – intends to ‘open up’ further enclosures in the coming years for a selection of animals including giraffes, lions, gorillas and tigers.

Work on a £5m gorilla island enclosure – which is part of a new African Rainforest area for the zoo – will begin in January. Scheduled to open in 2007, a moat will prevent the gorillas from escaping but visitors will be able to observe the gorillas through reinforced glass on a raised walkway, styled to resemble a Congo fieldhouse.

Head of animal care, David Field, said: “We would like to become a catalyst which inspires people to protect the natural world and its inhabitants and we really feel that allowing people to be immersed in the animals’ environment is an amazing and fun way to achieve this goal.” Details: www.zsl.org