Best zoo elephant house in the world?

I've seen some mentioning the elephant house of Rotterdam zoo as a very nice one and I also like it, but please don't tell me that no-one has been able to improve since then.

Yes, it's a very nice elephant house and in 1994 it was absolute world class, but I do hope some of the newer enclosures have learned from it and went on from there ....

And also, today's best elephant house of the world will be topped not too many years from now - for elephants' sake!
 
reduakari said:
(...) have great landscape features that say "Africa" not a "giant field somewhere in Europe."
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Can't see much of a difference in the European and American landscape reciting their "African"ess; for me, in both cases these zoo buildings usually are "(more or less) giant field(s) somewhere in Europe (or America)" with mainly visistor-friendly features that are based on the (pre)colonial "Lion King" Pseudo-Africa image most Westerners prefer to keep alive...;)
 
I think it is quite sad to hear that there is no elephant house that satisfies all our demands. To me, the best elephant house would be a mixture between Rotterdams, Colognes, Leipzigs and Copenhagens. The great things about each one is:

Rotterdam - A tropical jungle environment exists in and around the exhibit. Most barriers are moats or articficial tree trunks, ect. The house is light and friendly. Very nice.

Cologne - The sheer size of the exhibit as well as the indoor pool is magnificent! Has several boxes to contain indiduals if needed.

Copenhagen - The floor consists of sand which is good for the elephants' feet. The large glass dome with leafes on top makes it an extremely light and friendly house. Has several boxes to contain indiduals if needed. The exhibition about elephants in this house is also very comprehensive.

Leipzig - The large underwater pool, in the otherwise very nice house, has underwater viewing. You have not seen an elephant in all it's aspect until you have seen it underwater.

I am not saying that Copenhagen's indoor exhibit not is large or that Leipzig's indoor exhibit's only good feature is the pool with underwater viewing. I am just mentioning their best/unique features. If one were to combine all of these features one would have a pretty great elephant house!
 
Sitara said:
At the moment in my opinion one cannot find “the best elephant house” anywhere. Much more interesting for me is the question what are the most important aspects to build an optimal inside-enclosure for elephants, attractive for visitors as well. A good elephant house should have:

  • a large ecological heated area where the “greys” could move freely
  • possibility for separating (for newcomers, sickness, incompatibility etc.)
  • training stalls (for PC-Training and medical procedures) and simple ERC with weighing scale
  • a large ecological heated pool or moat with min. 2 flat entrances
  • the most part sand flooring for elephant-wellness
  • feed walls, feed balls, feeding nets…and other behavioural enrichment
  • for the visitors space saving possibilities (gallery) for watching the elephants to seat oneself or lean against or walk and pass by (also for baby-buggies and wheelchairs)
  • an interesting and attractive ambiance (special topic)
  • some information about elephants but not too much, because this would draw off the attention from the “living object”!

Sure, you´ll find some good elephant-indoor-enclosures in Europe as: Chester, Dublin, Blijdorp/Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Cologne, Leipzig, Hamburg/Hagenbeck, ..., but none of them satisfies all above mentioned claims!
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Only just noticed this list. I will cross-check this with my nomination of Chester...

1) yes
2) yes
3) yes
4) no
5) yes
6) yes
7) yes
8) yes
9) yes

I reckon that's as close as any zoo is going to get. The only thing lacking is an indoor pool (however they do have an outdoor one)
 
Sun Wukong said:
Can't see much of a difference in the European and American landscape reciting their "African"ess; for me, in both cases these zoo buildings usually are "(more or less) giant field(s) somewhere in Europe (or America)" with mainly visistor-friendly features that are based on the (pre)colonial "Lion King" Pseudo-Africa image most Westerners prefer to keep alive...;)
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My point is that Disney's exhibit--pretty much alone in the world from what I've seen--accurately recreates the natural environment of the African elephant. Tropical grassland vegetation, varied and appropriate landforms, watercourses, baobab trees complete with "elephant scarring" on the bark are typical elements one would see in nature, and none of the ubiquitous cable barriers, moats or other visible signs of confinement structures are present. No other zoo elephant exhibit, no matter how large, gives a better sense of an African elephant group in its natural context. Spare me the pretentious assumption I was referring to "African" thatched huts and other typical theming devices, usually employed next to barren fields surrounded by heavy barriers.
 
Sun Wukong said:
based on the (pre)colonial "Lion King" Pseudo-Africa image most Westerners prefer to keep alive...;)
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Yep, not real rural experiences: pothole-filled road, smell of rotting sewage and environment of arable fields, zebu and goats. And hi-tech zoo could install hidden loudspeakers with typical sound of Africa: "geefmee monee mister!" ;)

To the list I would add slope of sand or soft rubber or similar. It look like elephants like to sleep half-vertical. Although they rarely or never do it in the wild!
 
Sitara said:
At the moment in my opinion one cannot find “the best elephant house” anywhere. Much more interesting for me is the question what are the most important aspects to build an optimal inside-enclosure for elephants, attractive for visitors as well. A good elephant house should have:

* a large ecological heated area where the “greys” could move freely
* possibility for separating (for newcomers, sickness, incompatibility etc.)
* training stalls (for PC-Training and medical procedures) and simple ERC with weighing scale
* a large ecological heated pool or moat with min. 2 flat entrances
* the most part sand flooring for elephant-wellness
* feed walls, feed balls, feeding nets…and other behavioural enrichment
* for the visitors space saving possibilities (gallery) for watching the elephants to seat oneself or lean against or walk and pass by (also for baby-buggies and wheelchairs)
* an interesting and attractive ambiance (special topic)
* some information about elephants but not too much, because this would draw off the attention from the “living object”!
Click to expand...
sorry, I'm confused about your last point. You think there shouldn't be much information about elephants for the visitors? Doesn't that then basically make the exhibit nothing more than a sideshow where the elephants are put on show as "objects" for your simple amusement?
 
In Australia we don't have any "indoor exhibits" as such. Only night houses where the elephants go at night. The closest thing I can think of is Melbourne Zoos washing barn where they bring the elepnats in to scrub them down.
I've nevert actually seen an indoor exhibit for elephants.
 
Weather is pretty warm here, so a large heated indoor enclosure is great but not essential for the well-being for the elephants. We don't have long periods of snow and so we don't need a large indoor exhibit for them.

I have to agree with what was mentioned before, Colonge zoo I think has a magnificent indoor enclosure it has great facilities and from what I can see in photos the elephants can be viewed easily to the comfort of visitors and the elephants.
The only thing I have a problem with is that it looks too non-natural, like even-though it is a small the barn at Melbourne looks like a villiage hideout, which I think is an awesome theme!

Copenhagen also looks really great from what I have seen, love to go into depth about the zoo's elephants but I can't find enough info or clear pictures of each elephant. For a favour could anyone send me them please?

Haven't seen much images of Chester's indoor but from what I've already read it seems awesome!
 
@reduakari: "recreate the natural environment"? So they also imported and released Ornithodoros sp. ticks, Red-billed Queleas and wait-a-bit thornbushes? Come on...you know it's only a superficial imitation, but barely the "real deal".
"pretentious"? Most certainly not; lighten up, mate...;)

@Jurek7: dead right ;)
 
Dan said:
A comment by Ituri to a photo in the gallery gave me the idea to start this thread. The comment:

http://www.zoochat.com/413/inside-elephant-house-50869/

So which is the best zoo elephant house in the world? I mean it literally: which is the best HOUSE? Disregard the outdoor enclosures in this case. Considering the fact that a lot of elephants are kept in cold climates and in fact spend the majority of their time indoors, makes the question even more urgent.

I have two suggestions: the elephant houses in Cologne and Copenhagen.
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Have you visited these houses?im amazed that anybody that knew anything about species specific needs would pick the 2 mentioned houses.
 
I have only been to Copenhagen and regard it as very good, though obviously not perfect compared with the interesting list of requirements that Sitara put together.

As you can see in my post no 10, I am very curious about the Dublin house and would be grateful for any links to good pictures of it.
 
Elephants houses in the world

i think that the houses in Leipzig and Cologne are the best houses in Europe, their size and the facilities are the best. Cologne zoo has a very large house, good for the animals and amazing for the crowed.
Leipzig has a smaller house but very nice one, the underwater viewing is more than amazing so for the crowed is defenitly number one.
I do have say that Hamburg zoo (Hagenbeck zoo) has a very nice indoor Elephent's house.
In the US Colombus zoo has a large nice house, for an out door exhibits i think the El paso zoo (TX) and Oakland zoo (CA) have the best exhibits, altough they are small zoos the exhibits are big and very reach facilities
 
Can you send me your e.mail Dan id be happy to send you the info on Dublin,im the Team Leader here i also helped move the elephants in Copenhagen from the old house to the new.
 
I've seen underwater pics from Leipzig, that would be amazing to view! The pictures alone look stunning!
 
@ger68, I'm a GSM specialist at an operator and have given up long ago to even look at GSM related forums (there are soo many specialists in the field ... and they don't show it by actually doing the work, or even tiniest bit of understanding of the technical part :D).

I don't think it's even remotely clear what all the requirements are for the best elephant house in the world. F.i. I miss something about a space/amount of elephants ratio (don't know if this is relevant).

I don't even know if this is really a relevant question. What's most important for the wellbeing of elephants? Indoor housing quality, outdoor housing quality, husbandry? Composition of the group?

People just love the "best 5" or "best 10" lists. It's life made simple.
 
All the factors you mention plus more make it up,good points Elly.if you want to send me your e.mail i would be happy to show you what we are trying to achieve in Dublin.Take care
 
Thanks ger68 for the info. Food for thought.

Let's rephrase the question: best elephant house for who? For the ones living in it or for the ones visiting? A lot of the features highly praised are just for us! Visitors! And Dublin seems to have built a house for them! Elephants!;)
 
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