Outside old Elephant House

Now this really irritates me because I think it's a huge mistake by the zoo. It's basically a huge sign saying; 'come and look at the appalling accommodation we kept our elephants in. Look at their former paddock that was no bigger than a tennis court and the overnight housing where each bedroom wasn't much bigger than an elephant. Look at how bad we were'. The zoo needs to move forward and stop dwelling on it's past reputation which it has been working so hard to improve. I'm not saying they should erase history or anything. Information should be readily available for enthusiasts and historians who wish to find it, but the general paying public do not need to know. Why commemorate something where there is nothing to be proud of?

Oh, and the fence looks stupid too.

I can't work out what the fence is there for? Showing the size of the former pens? Health and safety incase the elephant head falls on someone? Decorative feature?

It's obviously to stop poachers from stealing the ivory

Alan

Maybe to stop kids hanging on its trunk perhaps ?? It is all rather pointless,
surely their money and effort could be put to better use?

Hopefully not a sign of the way things will go under the new boss!

It was donated and I'm sure the effort was very minimal.
New addition at Elephant House! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

It's the placing that is wrong. They should have stuck it in the discovery centre.

From someone who visits the zoo 4 or 5 times a year, I think the new director is doing a very good job.

On that one I will have to disagree with you,I visited last weekend with a few friends and we all thought the place was going down hill again,but you never know we could be wrong!

Why what has changed?

I know what you mean but at the same time I was really impressed by the information boards above the elephant house showing historical photos of the polar pit and Cuddles the orca in the moat. Dudley's past is always going to be on display, so the zoo might as well take ownership of it and make it part of their educational remit.

I assume the fence is to stop people bashing their heads or putting an eye out on the tusks. It looks rediculous and I'm sure it will be changed in due course.

More a case of what hasn't changed,no work has taken on the old Cassowary enclosure since my last visit in February,if the place was moving forward I would have expected at least that to have changed.Also the area round the fun fair just looks a tip,which it never did under Mr Suddock,it was never popular with us zoochatters but it never looked like a tip under him!!