ZC best zoos for elephants, 2008

J

Jurek7

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
In response to another thread.

Which North American zoos do you consider best for elephants? And why? :)
 
There is not one single zoo that is the best for elephants. There are over a ten that could qualify for that position. I also don't think the best zoo for elephants is determined by the size of the enclosure that zoo gives its elephants. I personally think the San Diego Wild Animal Park is best for a few reasons.

1. Their African Elephants have 3 acres to roam and their Asians have 2.5 acres. Both these sizes are huge exhibits for elephants.

2. Their Africans are in a real herd setting of 11 members. This provides a very enriching environment by raising babies and social interactions.

3. They have a breeding program using natural breeding. Very few zoos breed the elephants naturally allowing the elephants to do one more natural behavior that is not available at most zoos.

4. They purely use a protected contact system meaning there is no need for an ankus. Not that a free-contact system is bad, but protected is definitely more preferred.

5. The African herd was rescued from being culled presenting an extremely valid reason for them to be in a zoo setting. Personally I don't think zoos should really have to validate why they have elephants for animal-rights groups.
 
My favorite elephant exhibits:
(They are not in order of favorite)

African Elephants:

1) Indianapolis Zoo - Great Exhibit, although they use AI they have done so very successfully.

2) San Diego Wild Animal Park - Excellent Exhibit, Valuable Breeding

3) Disney's Animal Kingdom - Great Exhibit, House could be better, Horrible viewing but we are judging the exhibit.

4) Nashville - I have only seen pictures (I'll have to go back) Great Exhibit

Asian Elephants:

1) San Diego Wild Animal Park - Great Exhibit

2) Columbus - Great Building, Successful Breeding, Large Enclosures (Could be bigger)

3) St. Louis - Fairly Large exhibit, Natural Breeding

I'm not familiar with many other elephant exhibits so my list is limited.
 
Other (African) contenders (neither of which I've been to, but which I've heard great things about) are North Carolina and Oakland, CA
 
I was at NC Zoo 8mnths before their Watani Grasslands opened and saw the construction going on at the new elephant exhibit. It combined their old elephant exhibit (3.5 acres) and their old white rhino exhibit (3.5 acres) to make a massive 7 acre elephant exhibit. Just the size puts it up their as one of my favorites. Also Oaklands is about 6 acres which makes it one of the largest in the U.S. as well.
 
Just from what I've seen in pictures I think That Tulsa and Cincinatti look quite good.
 
Cinci's is more on the average side I think. Tulsa must be doing something right because there one female Asian elephant Gunda is pushing 59 years old.

North Carolina and Oakland are both excellent, but size is not the only factor. Jurek7 wanted to know the best zoos for elephants, not the largest.
 
Cincinnati I think is ok. It's not bad enough to make the IDA list but it could be better. The barn is kinda small and the main yard isnt really that big (>25,000 sq. ft.). The pool is a great touch. The bull yard for Sabu is fairly impressive ~8,000 square feet. Plus they are expanding the exhibit.

Here is a link to an aerial picture of the exhibit. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and look at the picture on the right.

http://www.asianelephant.net/cincinnati/cincinnati.htm
 
The exhibits don't have any grass really and they don't have varied terrian. It looks like just flat compact dirt. I personally think the nearby Columbus Zoo has a much better habitat. It is excellent to say the least. Cincinnati's is average at best.
 
BlackRhino said:
The exhibits don't have any grass really and they don't have varied terrian. It looks like just flat compact dirt. I personally think the nearby Columbus Zoo has a much better habitat. It is excellent to say the least. Cincinnati's is average at best.
Click to expand...

several exhibits I know of started off with a lush covering of grass but only after a few months or so it is worn off. Melbourne's is very bare now, but I remember when I was in year 3 all 3 paddocks were very green.

zooman said:
What a great web site!!!:D
Click to expand...

Yeah it's awesome isn't it! two years ago when I first discovered it, it was the only website I basically went on.
 
I would have to put my vote in for Oakland Zoo. They have a great management program that includes pasture rotation, lots of conditioning, and a great browse program with the local government that provides browse throughout the day. Not to mention a large amount of space.
 
The only problems Oakland has had is herpes and one there calfs was attacked and killed by its mother
 
Don't forget the long-time elephant keeper who was killed by Oakland's bull in the early 1990s. Of course that tragedy eventually led to many of the improved management practices that today make Oakland a real leader in the field.
 
dragon(ele)nerd said:
several exhibits I know of started off with a lush covering of grass but only after a few months or so it is worn off. Melbourne's is very bare now, but I remember when I was in year 3 all 3 paddocks were very green.
Click to expand...

Here's a YouTube video of the Nashville exhibit that appears to have been taken five years after it opened. Pretty green!
YouTube - An Elephant (((SMART!!!)))

Like so many things, the survival of grass is a design and a management issue
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
Cincinnati I think is ok. It's not bad enough to make the IDA list but it could be better. The barn is kinda small and the main yard isnt really that big (>25,000 sq. ft.). The pool is a great touch. The bull yard for Sabu is fairly impressive ~8,000 square feet. Plus they are expanding the exhibit.

Here is a link to an aerial picture of the exhibit. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and look at the picture on the right.

http://www.asianelephant.net/cincinnati/cincinnati.htm
Click to expand...

Phenomenal site!

I'd say Cincy has the potential to have a great elephant space in a few years meriting inclusions on a 'bests' list but for now they're just above average.

I'd put a vote in for Columbus.
 
reduakari said:
Don't forget the long-time elephant keeper who was killed by Oakland's bull in the early 1990s. Of course that tragedy eventually led to many of the improved management practices that today make Oakland a real leader in the field.
Click to expand...

wow from what I'm hearing the elephants at Oakland are some angry spoilt elephants. :rolleyes:
 
I don`t know what you are hearing, but that bull died years ago and killed the keeper before the zoo changed to pc and before the outdoor area was expanded to 6 acres.
 
Oakland is not the only zoo either to have a keeper death from an elephant...unfortunately there are several others all across the world.
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
Cincinnati I think is ok. It's not bad enough to make the IDA list but it could be better.[/URL]
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Correction: ALL zoo elephant exhibits are "bad enough" to make the IDA list because the IDA list is 100% bogus! Good, bad, or average, the nuts at the IDA will find a reason to put an elephant exhibit on their silly list. That's why we all should resist ANY temptation to regard the IDA list as anything but pure fiction.
 
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