Oklahoma City Zoo New Asian Exhibits Opening In 2011

Why is it that so much more creativity goes into African exhibits? It shouldn't be that hard to have a decent Asian exhibit. Size isn't everything.
 
jbnbsn99 said:
I took a look at the photos, unfortunately it looks like yet another bland Asian Elephant exhibit. Will there ever be a good one?
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I guess Bonnie and I are the only people on here who like Elephant Trails in DC.However based off the photos on here not very impressed with OKC's new exhibit

Team Tapir
 
Well, to be fair is Elephant Trails actually completed? I thought they still had more to go on it.
 
You make a good point Elephant Trails is not complete,construction on phase two is currently underway and as of right now it is our opinion that this is going to be a great Asian Elephant exhibit when its finished.

Team Tapir
 
I agree that once elephant trails is completed it might be the best asian elephant exhibit. This is because it long and thin in the main habitat which is great excersize. It also allows a birds eye view of the elephants. It largest yard is not yet built and the new barn will have the addition of a large sand room.
 
I wonder if the zoo will gain any more elephants with the opening of this exhibit. I know the zoo's website says is plans to hold a bull in the future.
Does anyone know any future plans?
 
Great news, finally an Asian Elephant born in the U.S. that is not in Houston(in a two 2 year span)
 
But that calf will go to the circus so it won't breed with any of the elephants in the AZA once it grows older.
 
You dont know if that will happen. There was also a female born in Albuquerque in late 2009.
 
A female, thats great to hear,

JaxElephant said:
But that calf will go to the circus so it won't breed with any of the elephants in the AZA once it grows older.
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But what makes you think she'll be sent to the circus? Although I know that the Ringling Bros. Center does this,
why would a zoo do so?
 
I don't know a single AZA zoo that supports the circus(like the Ringling Bros) that is why, also the elephant will most likely be sent back to the breeding center to breed for the circus or stay in the "World's Greatest Show" until it gets too old and retire at the CEC or maybe a sanctuary.
@Gerenuk-I forgot the baby at Rio Grande and there was a male at Columbus Zoo as well that I forgot about as well.
 
Its funny, though no AZA zoo will openly admit they support Ringling, they don't mind getting help or money from them. Every year Ringling donates close to a half million $ to National Zoo for herpes research and DAK personaly called Ringling to help set up there elephant exhibits at Animal Kingdom (which is not surprising since Kenneth Feld has a direct relationship to Disney). I wish the AZA would do more with Ringling because of their advancements in elephant care and breeding. They spare no expense.
 
The only people who might support Ringling are the old timers working in zoos. The progressive people coming out of the universities today have a different philosophy. The majority of these folks are female and there is no doubt we are wired differently than men.

The AZA insists on professional standards and Ringling doesn't know the meaning this. The manner in which they house, transport, and maintain their elephants goes against everything the AZA stands for. Hopefully before long this unsophisticated form of "entertainment" will be outlawed. They should be prosecuted for animal cruelty on the transport and housing issues alone. Comparing zoos to circuses is comparing apples and oranges. Circus elephants suffer. Take your kids to a museum instead folks.
 
CritterBlog said:
The only people who might support Ringling are the old timers working in zoos. The progressive people coming out of the universities today have a different philosophy. The majority of these folks are female and there is no doubt we are wired differently than men.

The AZA insists on professional standards and Ringling doesn't know the meaning this. The manner in which they house, transport, and maintain their elephants goes against everything the AZA stands for. Hopefully before long this unsophisticated form of "entertainment" will be outlawed. They should be prosecuted for animal cruelty on the transport and housing issues alone. Comparing zoos to circuses is comparing apples and oranges. Circus elephants suffer. Take your kids to a museum instead folks.
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Hi,

Many people would argue that keeping elephants in Zoos is antiquated (I have met plenty of people in the industry on both sides of the Atlantic that believe this too). I’m not saying this is my opinion** Despite your feelings about the treatment of the Ringling animals, as was mentioned above, they have donated hundreds of thousands of $US towards research into the Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus something I’m not sure many AZA accredited institutions have done?


[**although I honestly feel even the most modern Elephant Facilities do not offer the same level husbandry as is offered to many other animals in equally modern exhibits and in many cases the resources allocated to Elephants would have far more impact if they were redistributed. I’m not sure that Conservation (outside of EEHV research) is a justifiable reason to maintain elephants in captivity in the US at the moment… I am however willing to accept they have a valid role in education and that people should be able to see an elephant without the huge expense of travelling to Africa/Asia. Perhaps the multi-hundred acre elephant “sanctuaries” in Tennessee, Alabama and Florida (CEC) are the only acceptable approaches to Elephant management*******
And im fresh-ish out of University but I’m male!

*******Though these should only maintain one species on site.]
 
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