Elephant Paddock Renovation 19.6.10

I'm pretty sure they'll be rehoused elsewhere in the zoo. We're probably talking 10, maybe even 15 or 20 years down the line so plans could change a lot by then.

It would be a big project and I can see it never happening...

EDIT: Or should I say, never happening during this masterplan.

The future plans are part of the natural vision, which from the proposed design would massively extend the elephants paddock not only through the rhino's but also into the area where the rhea and vicuna are (from what i can gather from them). The Indian rhino would be moved but still sit within this bast 'Asian Plains' zone. If you haven't seen the plans they look amazing - def worth a look.

Erhm i don't think they are being extended towards the rhea since it would go over either the bat bridge or conservation golf?

The list of buildings that would definitely be retained in the western half of the zoo if Natural Vision came to full fruition is pretty slim- by memory it amounts to the entrance complex, Elephant House, Fruit Bat Forest, Tsavo House and aviary and posisbly the Monkey Islands building. Anything else is liable and likely to be demolished.


The list in the eastern half wasn't much beyond the listed Oakfield House and its stables, the Spirit of the Jaguar, Realm of the Red Ape, Islands in Danger and Butterfly Journey. Again - anything else can and would go (including the giraffe, okapi and chimp houses, the Tropical Realm and the Aquarium).


The full lists are in the Natural Vision Phase I plans on UKPlanning - Online planning for the citizen - this is from memory so I may have forgotten the odd building.

Looks like a cool exhibit

As stated on previous post, there are very few buildings that are planned to be retained as part of the plans. The Natural Vision plans are (if they ever come to fruition) designed to be phased. The expansion of Elephant paddock is part of Asian Plains which is one of the last phases, therefore we are talking many many years before work would commence - by which time any existing exhibits may have run their course or be ready for a change. I would not be too upset if crazy golf was demolished now to make way for an animal emclosure though.

I second that!