Elephant Paddock Renovation 19.6.10

Fingers crossed it will be before the 19th! Everything needs to be perfect for my first visit to Chester

The building with the clock tower behind is the main entrance so it'd be hard to miss the elephants if you come in that way!

(there is a pedestrian entrance over the other side of the zoo)

Even if the paddock isn't ready by then the elephants should be on show in the house. The aim was to have the outdoor area ready before the calves arrive. Sithami is due in July and Thi in August.

Will they be able to have a grass paddock when it's finished. If they could do that without making it go barren that would be awesome!

Unlikely, the substrate isn't conducive and Chester have already tried every conceivable species of grass, only for the elephants to uproot it.

I saw the paddock today and it looks excellent.

I wonder why Whipsnades elephant paddock looks so well grassed, from some of the photos in the gallery it looks almost like a lawn?

Two major factors, I would think - firstly, Whipsnade has chalky soil rather than the heavy clay at Chester, which I would think (not an expert!) is less likely to turn into a muddy mess.

Secondly, and probably most importantly, Whipsnade's paddock is much bigger than Chester's, so the wear is spread more thinly.

Thanks Maguari, Thats makes sence, I wonder if Chester will ever expand their elephant paddock since the herd is expected to expand

Long-term, it is planned for the elephants to have access under the bridge this shot was taken from (or at least, a bridge on the same site) to what is currently the Indian Rhino/Brow-antlered Deer/Blackbuck paddock, but this won't be happening any time soon.

Nooo! What of the Indian Rhinos . I wouldn't think they were leaving the collection with all of the effort they are going to to get a breeding pair. I guess they will just move to another area? Do you know what Chester's long-term plans for them are?