Track system for elephants(or other large mammals)

K

kate person

Active Member
So I have horses and I use something called a track system which is basically a track that I made around and inside their paddock to increase movement and fitness. It also saves space.
Now I had this thought about zoos using this for elephants or other large, active mammals which (since they’re on a track) would allow the animals to move a lot more than they would in one big open enclosure. Hedges and trees can be planted beside the track to incourage foraging and movement and enrichment can be added at different parts of the track.
What are your thoughts? Could something like this work? Thanks
 
kate person said:
So I have horses and I use something called a track system which is basically a track that I made around and inside their paddock to increase movement and fitness. It also saves space.
Now I had this thought about zoos using this for elephants or other large, active mammals which (since they’re on a track) would allow the animals to move a lot more than they would in one big open enclosure. Hedges and trees can be planted beside the track to incourage foraging and movement and enrichment can be added at different parts of the track.
What are your thoughts? Could something like this work? Thanks
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Oregon Zoo already has something similar to this via their Elephant Lands exhibit! It's quite narrow in spots and goes up along one side of the zoo.

It seems to work well for the elephants. Oregon Zoo participated in a research project that aimed to compare how active captive elephants were compared to their wild counterparts and vice versa. The cows were outfitted with step counters and allowed to go about their daily business for several months.

The results? The elephants of Oregon Zoo were found to be clocking at least as many miles as wild elephants were! Fascinating.
 
Smithsonian's National Zoo has a quarter mile long track that runs between the main elephant complex and the bird house. It leads to a dead end, so it's mainly intended for exercise and additional stimulation.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago has future plans for a 1/2 mile long track system in their reimagined African exhibit, connecting multiple different yards for elephants, rhinos and hoofstock. It'll be highly ambitious and experimental, although it's still several years away from beginning construction.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
Oregon Zoo already has something similar to this via their Elephant Lands exhibit! It's quite narrow in spots and goes up along one side of the zoo.

It seems to work well for the elephants. Oregon Zoo participated in a research project that aimed to compare how active captive elephants were compared to their wild counterparts and vice versa. The cows were outfitted with step counters and allowed to go about their daily business for several months.

The results? The elephants of Oregon Zoo were found to be clocking at least as many miles as wild elephants were! Fascinating.
Click to expand...
Wow, thats incredible. I’ll have to go and see how their track looks. Thanks
 
pachyderm pro said:
Smithsonian's National Zoo has a quarter mile long track that runs between the main elephant complex and the bird house. It leads to a dead end, so it's mainly intended for exercise and additional stimulation.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago has future plans for a 1/2 mile long track system in their reimagined African exhibit, connecting multiple different yards for elephants, rhinos and hoofstock. It'll be highly ambitious and experimental, although it's still several years away from beginning construction.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
pachyderm pro said:
Smithsonian's National Zoo has a quarter mile long track that runs between the main elephant complex and the bird house. It leads to a dead end, so it's mainly intended for exercise and additional stimulation.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago has future plans for a 1/2 mile long track system in their reimagined African exhibit, connecting multiple different yards for elephants, rhinos and hoofstock. It'll be highly ambitious and experimental, although it's still several years away from beginning construction.
Click to expand...
Those sound interesting. Anymore keeping elephants in captivity is problematic so it's good to see some innovation. Is it just me or does Brookfield Zoo getting elephants seem like such a pipe dream?
 
elefante said:
Those sound interesting. Anymore keeping elephants in captivity is problematic so it's good to see some innovation. Is it just me or does Brookfield Zoo getting elephants seem like such a pipe dream?
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They've made a pretty big deal about bringing elephants back in their masterplan. I'd be surprised if this wasn't their priority, seeing as regular zoogoers would be pretty upset if the plans fell through.
 
Chicagoans have been asking Brookfield to bring back elephants since they left the zoo. It's a common enough refrain the zoo has a few times specifically brought it up as a question to avoid. During the master planning public meeting, locals asked specifically to bring back elephants. It's not the kind of passionate protest movement you see on television, but it is something they get asked very frequently, and when they did hold the animals there was never a lot of negative local attention as has happened with some animals.

If there is a sudden economic crash tomorrow, these things will not happen and zoo projects will be the last thing on anyone's mind, but if the funds can be raised (which it looks like they can as the zoo has received some large donations recently) and are available to do it (they are already being raised, I suspect, in the current funding drive) then it will absolutely happen, because it is something they know is wanted and desired by the community.

Also it would give Brookfield a major superstar species that can't be seen at Lincoln Park, with which it shares similar region focuses and a similar collection (in terms of ABC species, not total numbers) which would drive more local traffic towards Brookfield specifically. We zoo nerds know a lot of Brookfield's unique animals, but to a non-nerd, the collections look pretty alike, especially before Lincoln Park gave up their tigers.

I love the idea of Brookfield introducing a track system!
 
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