I think we might to some extent. I thought (along with many others) that 12 years ago Paignton zoo's elephant exhibit was fantastic. Now I look at it and think that's it's pretty small and that they should not keep elephants after their current pair die. And that was only 12 years ago!
I agree that this might be a good place (with a lot of renovation!) for some primate species (like the aforementioned aye-aye); perhaps some ground dwelling creature could live at the bottom where that water was, though it doesn't seem like the pedestrian floor goes low enough for someone to be able to see anything living down there. Doesn't seem like an entirely unsalvageable exibit though
I for one would just like it open, exhibit or not just to have a nose!
I assume it had some sort of paddock behind it? Was this very large or did they walk the elephants?
I have seen old postcards on Ebay of elephant rides was this of the same era?
This building dates from the 1930s; there was no paddock originally as the intention was that, during the day, the elephants would be giving rides or being walked round the park by the keepers. An outside elephant paddock wasn’t added until 1965. (This paddock has now been re-landscaped for lemurs.)
I am hopefully going on Sunday so will have a proper nose at it!
I have tried to take photos of it in the past but its not very photogenic due to the fact it just looks like grain silos now I have an idea of its design I may see it as it was intended
The postcards depicting elephant rides at Whipsnade were from the earlier part of the era-1930's-1950's. During this time there was no paddock and the elephants were exercised on the lawn or gave rides so 'worked' for their exercise.
The paddock was built on later- at the same time as husbandry methods changed and the elephant rides were discontinued.
You can still see into the house quite easily through the windows- they have mostly been blacked out or boarded up but there are plenty of cracks and peepholes. It seems to be mostly used as a foodstore.
i don't know where they dreamnt that statement up from. 'Mangal Peary' was a large full mature Asian female- she is probably the one at the end in the photo and featured on some of the postcards too.
The moat was dry when I used to visit, it wasn't very deep. You can see the elephants were chained by a back leg to keep them from leaning over the edge. I remember quite a lot of stereotyped behaviour- in many ways they led similar lives to circus elephants- chained in one spot when they weren't out exercising or doing 'rides.' But may zoo elephants lived like that.
I couldn't work out if that was the lady's hairstyle or maybe a WW2 army issue helmet...
They dont seem to be able to get anywhere near the moat, as it has spikes all over it I have seemn other pictures online from different angles and no sign of any water or food troughs, although I expect they were fed alsorts by the public.
Did any of the 30s deco/modernist zoo buildings actually prove to be suitable for the animals intended ?! I was reading about the penguin pool at London with its nesting boxes too close together and the too steep curves but looks fantastic.
I love the designs but the certainly seem to prove 'design over function', the animals seemed to be an after thought.
i reckon it is the 'mam' of the little kid in the cloth cap(before my time!!) as 'she' is holding on to him to stop him falling through the barrier.
You can see the nearest elephant is chained by its backleg and so can't get any nearer the edge. I can remember their trunks could just reach you to take food though. I can't remember food or water troughs. Their main food was fed in a pile on the clean concrete floor if I remember correctly.
The Lubetkin designs were pretty avantegarde for their time but not very suitable for animals I don't think. All the ones at London, Whipsnade & Dudley seem littered with faults, at least to our modern eyes.
