elephant exhibit - first look

November 30, 2011.
Construction completion is one month away (but opening is about four months out). This is the barn and the area under the awning supports will have various graphics (I think 3D things that kids can touch). The metal gate on the right is an elephant interaction area - at certain times of day, keepers will open a section so visitors can touch an elephant ear or foot.

Thanks very much for the photo tour Arizona Docent. This looks really good. Are you excited about the exhibit opening?

When the elephants arrive for quarantine will they be housed in the new barn? You have probably mentioned in another thread, but how many elephants will be joining your current African elephant? Will their arrival be simultaneous with the departure of your Asian elephant?

The ear and foot touching thing sounds like an innovation for ele exhibits. I have not heard of this done elsewhere. Do you know if this is a first?

The exact makeup and number of elephants coming is yet to be determined. It will likely be two cows, either one or two calves, and maybe or maybe not one bull. If all goes as planned (big IF), they will move in February for one month quarantine in new exhibit. Our current african elephant may move in after the 30 days or may move over sooner and stay in a separate area of the barn. Asian will move sometime in there. At this point, nothing is absolutely definite (as least as far as they are telling docents).

DavidBrown said:

The ear and foot touching thing sounds like an innovation for ele exhibits. I have not heard of this done elsewhere. Do you know if this is a first?

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Zoo staff are claiming it is a first. Dallas Zoo has an area - not a gate like this - but a kind of large artificial tree with an area in the trunk that visitors can go in with staff to touch elephants between the roots of the tree. However, I do not know if they have started using it or not (it has not been used the couple times I was there).

Arizona Docent said:

Zoo staff are claiming it is a first. Dallas Zoo has an area - not a gate like this - but a kind of large artificial tree with an area in the trunk that visitors can go in with staff to touch elephants between the roots of the tree. However, I do not know if they have started using it or not (it has not been used the couple times I was there).

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The public are allowed to do such things at EO. However its for tours mostly. I would assume you mean this is for monitored public.

Arizona Docent said:

Zoo staff are claiming it is a first. Dallas Zoo has an area - not a gate like this - but a kind of large artificial tree with an area in the trunk that visitors can go in with staff to touch elephants between the roots of the tree. However, I do not know if they have started using it or not (it has not been used the couple times I was there).

Click to expand...

I believe Omaha is planning to do this with their Indian rhinos in the future. Can't find a source though.