I read somewhere that this elephant exhibit is only 13,000 square feet in size, making it less than a third of an acre. In the modern world of multi-acre, enormous elephant enclosures in major American zoos this Santa Barbara exhibit must be one of the smallest around. With the large amount of sunshine that the city receives I'm sure that the two elephants are allowed a lot of time outdoors so at least they probably aren't locked indoors for an unbearable duration of time.
I read somewhere that this elephant exhibit is only 13,000 square feet in size, making it less than a third of an acre. In the modern world of multi-acre, enormous elephant enclosures in major American zoos this Santa Barbara exhibit must be one of the smallest around. With the large amount of sunshine that the city receives I'm sure that the two elephants are allowed a lot of time outdoors so at least they probably aren't locked indoors for an unbearable duration of time.
I read somewhere that this elephant exhibit is only 13,000 square feet in size, making it less than a third of an acre. In the modern world of multi-acre, enormous elephant enclosures in major American zoos this Santa Barbara exhibit must be one of the smallest around. With the large amount of sunshine that the city receives I'm sure that the two elephants are allowed a lot of time outdoors so at least they probably aren't locked indoors for an unbearable duration of time.
The zoo has announced in the past that they will no more elephants after these elephants die. Presumably they would transfer the remaining elephant to another facility with more elephants when one of them passes. In the meantime the exhibit seems to be an okay home for the two elephants that inhabit it. It is especially impressive to watch them swim around in the pond.
I have personally witnessed the keepers here over two consecutive days provide amazing enrichment including on a particularly rainy day, a huge pile of dirt with random logs all piled together and the elephants dug through the pile to find food and they loved it! The water and dirt run off was interesting as it all fed into a ape moated exhibit at the bottom of the hill very eco friendly!
I have seen this exhibit and these elephants, I dont think there paddock is too small, I know people that have worked with elephants and they say it dosnt fully matter how big there exhibit is but it obviously matters to a certain extent, but what truly matters is that they get plenty of stimulation and encrichment, just think about it, which animal has a better quality of life ?, an elephant in a paddock that is 100 acres and has no enrichment or company of other elephants or an elephant that has the company of at least one other elephant in an exhibit less then 1 third of an acre and also has enrichment and great care, by the way the elephants at Santa Barbara Zoo are named Suzie and Little mac and they get wonderful care from knowledgeble keepers, the care they get can set the standards in elephant husbandry, i have seen videos of behind the scenes care with those elephants, and i have even talked to people that have worked with those particular elephants
