In 2015 7 males and 1 female were added. My source also said that the exhibit had a father and his kids, I don't know if that is in reference to the group that was already at the park or the group was brought in 2015.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park 2020
- Thread starter John Marchwick
- Start date
Today I received a small newsletter/donation form from the San Diego Zoo Global about the re-imagining of Elephant Valley. It gives a bit more details about the exhibit with small panels showing off concept art which I can photograph if you would like to see them. As for how it’s being conceived, it seems that visitors will be able to go in between both paddocks while allowing for an immersive experience. There will be an area for classrooms, educational tours, and overnight events to take place to seem as if you’re right next to the elephants. Shaded rest areas along the path to observe the herd and other grazing animals in the African Plains next to the elephants. Also speaks of ponds and streams of water to congregate into larger watering holes. Based on the concept art, it appears as if there will be more vegetation in their exhibit as well as the walkway for the visitors. I’ll do my best to take some photos from the form but I promise you they’re small so please spare me 
Today I received a small newsletter/donation form from the San Diego Zoo Global about the re-imagining of Elephant Valley. It gives a bit more details about the exhibit with small panels showing off concept art which I can photograph if you would like to see them. As for how it’s being conceived, it seems that visitors will be able to go in between both paddocks while allowing for an immersive experience. There will be an area for classrooms, educational tours, and overnight events to take place to seem as if you’re right next to the elephants. Shaded rest areas along the path to observe the herd and other grazing animals in the African Plains next to the elephants. Also speaks of ponds and streams of water to congregate into larger watering holes. Based on the concept art, it appears as if there will be more vegetation in their exhibit as well as the walkway for the visitors. I’ll do my best to take some photos from the form but I promise you they’re small so please spare me
PLEASE TRY AND SEND THE PHOTOGRAPHS!!! I’M DYING TO SEE IT!!!
I’ll post them now, just trying to crop out my messy room
haha
I have just watched the presentation about the renovation of Elephant Valley, it was presented online in Zoom format and lasted about half an hour.
The exhibit is home to African elephants and will remain so; it will occupy its current footprint and be expanded. Visitors will enter the exhibit area via a new path that will begin as a branch from the path that goes to the Tiger Trail/Walkabout Australia area. The entire path will be wheelchair accessible. The intent is that visitors will no longer use the road that runs along the slope above the West habitat. The path will go through a thatched shelter entry structure, acacias will be planted in the area, and several interpretive structures will be passed: a well, water tank, and hut. The path will then encounter the two existing habitats by entering the former monorail berm between the two, although the configuration will be a more informal and meandering pathway. The intent is that visitors will feel surrounded by the elephants, and that they will be closer. Elephant care specialists will have space between the visitors and elephants along this path, so they can be observed closely too. To achieve this, the moats will be reconfigured and sightlines improved. Also, both watering holes will remain but will be enlarged and moved slightly. A separate marsh habitat for African birds will be adjacent to a watering hole, appearing contiguous. (the fundraising website mentions storks and cranes). At one point in the visitor path, a wooden bridge structure will span above the passageway between the two habitats, possibly giving visitors the chance to see elephants walk below them. A new savanna area will be constructed after the path between the two habitats, in the space where there is currently a picnic area near the current exhibit observation area. This area will have several tents and shelters for education presentations; one of the illustrations shows a small group watching a presenter with a bird. Next, the path will end at Reteti Lodge, a rustic thatched-roof building with viewing terraces; this will be located where the current Tembo Stadium is, so it will be demolished. Reteti is named after the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Kenya that San Diego Zoo Global works with. The end of the path will connect to the Cheetah Run/Lion Camp area.
The timeline for this renovation is that fundraising will happen first. After that, construction will take 18-24 months.
The presenters answered some questions after the presentation but they did not get to my questions, one of which was whether there would be renovation of the old barns or construction of new ones. I also asked if the current simulated rock structures would stay - looking at one of the illustrations now, I see they are still there.
Here is a link to the new fundraising page that features some of the illustrations shown during the presentation:
Elephant Valley at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Last edited:
This will make the Safari Park such a powerhouse especially with their elephant herd being a huge draw for many, zoo nerds and regular visitors alike. On top of the success of Walkabout Australia and Tiger Trail, this may dethrone their sister zoo
thank you for the further update and analysis!
This will make the Safari Park such a powerhouse especially with their elephant herd being a huge draw for many, zoo nerds and regular visitors alike. On top of the success of Walkabout Australia and Tiger Trail, this may dethrone their sister zoo
I have to agree with that. I’ve always thought the Safari park was better than the zoo in my mind. And I’m probably gonna get heat for saying this but I’m not a fan of the San Diego Zoos elephant exhibit. The Safari park I always thought it was ok but I am genuinely really excited about this project and believe this will be one of the best elephant exhibits in the country!!
After all my visits to both parks, I prefer the safari park to the zoo although it’s not a huge margin though. I don’t hate EO at all actually but do get what they were going for with the theme as to its hit and miss reception, it was made with geriatric elephants in mind so that can be the reason for its design. Anyways I can’t wait to visit the Safari Park with my gf when it’s all said and done, they will knock it out of the park(pun intended).
@geomorph I wanted to ask you this: with the current state of the world, including here in California, did they mention about how or if any steps were taken to keep in mind for its design about managing crowds with social distancing in mind? I know that by then this may have all settled down regarding COVID but I wonder if this impacted how their inception for the re-imagining of Elephant Valley may have been affected, if at all. Once again thank you for this thorough analysis, I was a bit too excited when I saw the letter in the mail with their new logo for the exhibit 
@geomorph I wanted to ask you this: with the current state of the world, including here in California, did they mention about how or if any steps were taken to keep in mind for its design about managing crowds with social distancing in mind? I know that by then this may have all settled down regarding COVID but I wonder if this impacted how their inception for the re-imagining of Elephant Valley may have been affected, if at all. Once again thank you for this thorough analysis, I was a bit too excited when I saw the letter in the mail with their new logo for the exhibit
They made no mention of design consideration for that. I'm glad they didn't illustrate the elephants wearing masks.
Ah I see. And if they did illustrate them as such, let the mask be spacious and flexible enough to accommodate for their trunkThey made no mention of design consideration for that. I'm glad they didn't illustrate the elephants wearing masks.
I have just posted 6 images in the gallery from the presentation that are not currently featured on the website.
@geomorph I wanted to ask you this: with the current state of the world, including here in California, did they mention about how or if any steps were taken to keep in mind for its design about managing crowds with social distancing in mind? I know that by then this may have all settled down regarding COVID but I wonder if this impacted how their inception for the re-imagining of Elephant Valley may have been affected, if at all. Once again thank you for this thorough analysis, I was a bit too excited when I saw the letter in the mail with their new logo for the exhibit
They have to raise the money for the exhibit, which could take years with the current economy, and then build it, which they said would take two years. Hopefully the pandemic will be a distant memory by the time this would be built.
Knowing the backing SDZ Global gets with building exhibits and this being one for elephants, they will get done acquiring the funds relatively quick although not at as fast during this economic climate. I pray that this is all over with and things can go back to any sort of normal
Knowing the backing SDZ Global gets with building exhibits and this being one for elephants, they will get done acquiring the funds relatively quick although not at as fast during this economic climate. I pray that this is all over with and things can go back to any sort of normal
You make a good point that elephants are a major funding magnet. As a frame of reference the Safari Park tiger exhibit was announced and then delayed for several years because of the 2008 recession.
Wow that’s a long time for Tiger Trail, I can only imagine the changes it underwent due to the recession yet I love the final product they’ve made!
I think that the original concept plan may be posted somewhere in the Safari Park gallery. There were originally going to be several other species included like peafowl (can't remember them all), so the plans were altered quite a bit to the final project (not at all uncommon for zoo exhibits).
EO is not going to change soon with the elderly Asiatic elephants they still have. If and when these pass on and the Big If Question if they intend to continue with elephants - I would think given the iconic and regal nature of observing elephants they might -, then major upgrades on the facility might come through to enable SDZ to start with a breeding herd of elephants. That is as yet very much a long way off reality.
The Safari Park has had the fortune being able to work with a young group of African elephants - and imported (!!! - darn I wish the whole CITES crappy issue would go away as far as live elephants is concerned) new elephants from the wild -, it was able to design with having a large breeding group on site! Thus everything about the place was created with this in mind. In that, SDSP has a huge step ahead of their city major.
While I know baby elephants are one of the biggest crowd draws a zoo can have, and I wouldn't mind seeing an elephant breeding program start at the Zoo, I actually think Elephant Odyssey should remain in its current capacity caring for senior elephants. Having an AZA zoo to act as a dedicated place for older elephants is something that I think really should be capitalized on. It would allow zoos to send away their older elephants to make room for new breeding stock, or for zoos that are going out of elephant keeping, instead of sending them away to one of the elephant sanctuaries, some of which are rather unscrupulous.
Finally, I don't think it's wise to retrofit EO for breeding when almost every single other Asian elephant-keeping zoo in America has their exhibits set up with the intent for breeding, and breeding stock is dwindling yearly. To my knowledge, San Diego is the only zoo that specifically built their exhibit for elderly elephants, and they went through great costs to do so. Spending copious amounts of money to renovate their exhibit for breeding just doesn't seem practical (not to mention how difficult, if not flat-out impossible, it would be for San Diego to find an entire breeding herd of elephants). There are plenty of other places that money could and should go.
This is also the general dilemma of Asiatic elephant management in North America. Too many zoos vying for breeding elephants (of which there is but a small supply) and ignoring that large numbers of elderly and non reproductive elephants are still very much alive (and for a good number of years to come) coupled with an almost denial state of affairs that these elderly elephants require specific facilities and also dedicated locations to management of elderly elephants. Same goes for bachelor herds of young males ..., I guess.