So, i tried to look and see if this has been posted before, but after scrolling through several pages, i gave up and decided to start a new thread specifically about Elephant Exhibits. It's interesting (and distressing) that when i type "best elephant habitats or exhibits in country" on google, i always get the IDA list of ten WORST elephant exhibits, and it's frustrating. Why so negative, Internet? I want to see where the good ones are. So, im asking all of you! Where's the best elephant exhibit you've ever seen? And no offense, but i really don't want to hear Elephant Sanctuaries as an answer. Zoo exhibits only, please. Not that i don't think sanctuaries are good, I am just interested in zoo displays. As for me, personally, I haven't visited all that many zoos, but I really like NC Zoo's new African Plains exhibit and their new elephant habitat, and I'm actually a bit of a fan of Woodland Park Zoo's Elephant Forest. I say that almost hesitantly and hoping I don't get blown to smithereens because WPZ was listed as one of the worst by IDA, and Im not sure I understand why? It's a beautiful habitat. Anyway, what are your thoughts?
For African Elephants (in no particular order): -Dallas Zoo -Nashville Zoo -Oakland Zoo -San Diego Zoo Safari Park (aka Wild Animal Park) -North Carolina Zoo -Lowry Park Zoo -Indianapolis Zoo For Asian Elephant (in no particular order): -St. Louis Zoo I can't really think of more zoos with good Asian Elephant exhibits.
African Elephants(Not in order): -Nashville -North Carolina -SDWAP -Indianalopis -Oakland Zoo -DAK(Short Viewing time though) -Dallas Asian Elephants(Not in Order) -St. Louis -National -Miami
How about Columbus Zoo for Asian Elephants the only complaint could use a bit more shade but they have the biggest barn in North America. Team Tapir
@Pattie_beaven, Great post! And, Welcome! This is such an exciting time for elephants in zoos. New exhibit philosophies and techniques are being tried and tested, large new exhibits are being built. The life of elephants in zoos is in the process of a fantastic change. The same thing happened with gorillas 30-40 years ago and the results are wonderful. This transition will take decades since it is soooooo expensive to build a great large elephant exhibit, but it will be worth it.
They aren't complete yet but for Asian, check back this Nov (?) for LA Zoo, next year for Oklahoma City and Houston. Houston has their new barn set, but still a lot more to do. I can certainly vouch for Dallas' African, very nice, I want them to start mixing the hoofstock with the elephants and get the elephants just a slight bit more room, perhaps.
asian- syracuse [summer yard] columbus national busch gardens miami african- nc [by far my favorite elephant exhibit] granby dak miami lowry virginia
I'm very curious to see Syracuse's elephant yard as it looks quite nice in pictures. I probably won't see any elephants in it as it won't be summer, but I can picture it. I bet it will be the best elephant exhibit in NY, behind Bronx, once it's done.
I can get pictures whenever I find someone to take me there. I currently reside in Syracuse. Also, Elephant Odyssey still has to be one of the best Asian Elephant Exhibits in the country. Not so much for viewing pleasure, but it is fabulous for the elephants. Don't want to start another EO debate though. (That should be an acronym. )
The Columbus Zoo might have the biggest barn, but the exhibit is dull. It has the feel of a giant dog pen. The indoor portion needs sand on top of that hard cement. I say forget the idea of an Indian Rhino exhibit (leave it for The Wilds) and retool the front for the Elephants.
These are the 4 best that I've seen in the United States, although there are many other impressive elephant exhibits (Indianapolis, Oakland, Saint Louis, etc). #1 - North Carolina Zoo #2 - Nashville Zoo #3 - Dallas Zoo #4 - San Diego Zoo Safari Park
I would think Dallas is better than North Carolina. African theming was actually taken into account, and it also will soon have mixed species not to mention some amazing water & enrichment features. All the pictures of the new exhibit actually resemble Africa, while all the pictures of the elephant in NC look as if one stumbled upon an elephant in the North Carolina wilderness. Just my opinion, and out of the upcoming Asian elephant exhibits I think Denver will have the best by far.
I think if you are going to list your favorite exhibits that is one thing, but to find out what's best I think there should be objective criteria. It can't just be how pretty or large the exhibit is, but obviously those points should be taken into consideration. Husbandry should also rank very highly. Activity and mobility of the elephants should be another. Interpretation, graphics, keeper talks, etc are key as well. Cultural and landscape immersion. Etc. etc. etc.
Well as far as i'm concerned the only aspect North Carolina wins at is size, but that seems to be all any one cares about... I for one, don't think of size as the most important factor, but how engaging the enclosure is for the elephants and how much it resembles their native home. Sorry, but a fenced off North Carolina landscape isn't an African Savanna, and the exhibit doesn't have too many unique components built into the enclosure other than a vast space. I like how in Dallas they have activity stations, enrichment devices, different water features, different substrates, etc. The design of the enclosure is important in terms of keeping the elephants moving about. Even if an exhibit is an open 7 acres, it is highly unlikely the elephants use all of it and thus if the design isn't good, than the elephants won't be moving around as much, and the fact that the enclosure is 5, 6, or 7 acres won't really matter.
Hands down, San Diego Wild Animal Park's Elephant Overlook. Well, at least for African Elephants. They have 16 elephants, and an absoulutely beautiful exhibit. Whats more, if the Park didn't take in the original 7 elephants from Swaziland in 2003, none of the elephants at the park would be alive.
You make an interesting case, and I have a friend (he very infrequently posts on ZooChat) who recently told me that San Diego Zoo Safari Park has the #1 elephant exhibit in all of North America simply because a zoo visitor can spend a long time just watching the crazy antics of all of the young elephants there. North Carolina, Nashville and Dallas all have middle-aged or much older elephants, and in San Diego there is a massive, mixed herd of all ages. I also think that it is important for zoo fans to actually see all of the exhibits in person, as I found that visiting North Carolina, Nashville and Dallas this summer within days of each other made it easy for me to analyze each of the various elephant exhibits. I know that it isn't easy for individuals to tour the vast expanse of land that makes up the United States, but while photos are often a decent indicator of the quality of an enclosure, even all the photos in the world cannot show the size, scope and many interpretative graphics that are found alongside modern zoo habitats. Lastly, I love the fact that it is difficult to decide which elephant exhibit is truly "the best", whatever "the best" may or may not be. This discussion means that there are some truly great elephant enclosures and there are many that can be hailed as modern, spacious and well worth visiting. I just wish that there were a few more high-quality Asian elephant exhibits to go along with the many terrific African elephant habitats.
Wow, thanks for the responses! I have to say that I still agree with many of you that NC Zoo has a fantastic habitat. I think I have this in mind because the first time I visited and even saw the elephants, they were doing things I had never seen elephants doing in zoos before. I don't know the ages of the elephants, I presumably thought they were young, because the two of the were playing in the water. And one was completely submerged, with its trunk only visible like a periscope. It was one of the most profoundly adorable behaviors i had ever seen with elephants, and I fell head over heels in love with NC Zoo from that interaction alone (although their North American plains exhibit where i literally heard and then watched a herd of bison run past me and disappear was definitely another event that cinched the deal for me). I don't know if this is too "reactive" or whatever, and if I should just ignore the IDA, but I would love to have some organization post their own "top Ten BEST habitats for elephants" in response to IDA's top ten worst, and give explanations as to why these exhibits are so wonderful, what the zoos do for elephant conservation, and other note worthy mentions. I just don't feel I have the knowledge or credibility to write that list. But i would love to see one! how many out here are elephant keepers, btw?
Yes I have, I live in San Diego, I've been to it many times, and I have uploaded many pictures of it already. The elephants have plenty of enrichment and a top notch veterinary building/barn.
