The size of the paddock is average at best, but since there are only the two old female elephants then it is adequate for them. Both elephants have a hatred for people, they have been allegedly abused in the past, and of course there is protected contact in use at the zoo. At the keeper talk I was told that one of the elephants in the past used to frequently lunge at humans, and the staff is well experienced to deal with their two "problem" pachyderms.
This doesn't look much different from the way I remember it in '95 and I thought it was cramped. This whole zoo was a dump then, but it looks like it has been improved a bit. I'd never seen yellow polar bears until I went there.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has decided to phase out its elephant program within the next decade (or perhaps once one of its two elephants dies) and maintain Indian rhinos in this exhibit. The zoo has improved considerably since 1995, with the addition of the Asian Sanctuary, Red Wolf Woods, Animal Show Theater, Animal Avenue (Children's Zoo) and Cats of the Canopy. Plus there has been a lot of construction near the entrance since '95, including a new restaurant, cafe, gift shop and carousel.
