Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Longleat Safari Park News 2014

i also have good news the now empty lion reserve is going to be converted into a hunting dog reserve.

(info from a member of staff in the butterfly house)

 

New update on the elephant sanctuary:

Work is now well underway on the new haven for Anne the elephant here at Longleat and we wanted to let you know how Anne and the build were getting on…

The new £1.2m development includes a 994-square-metre heated accommodation area with deep sand floors, more than 20 natural sky light panels, automated feeding systems and a specialist treatment area.

An extensive 3.9 acre outdoor space will feature a large grassy paddock, rocks, log piles, a giant browse frame, sand pits and use of a water pool all year round.

As part of the build a new electricity supply has had to be installed which includes more than a kilometre of underground cabling.

A significant amount of preparation work has been taking place over the past few months with the main building work having commenced at the beginning of June and we are very hopeful it will all be completed by the end of the year.

The foundations have now been completed, checked, and approved by the building engineers, the steelwork of the building frame, roof panels and sidewalls are now ready to be erected and the plan is for the main building to be weatherproof within eight weeks.

As work on her new haven progresses Anne herself is making the most of the fine weather and has created her own mud wallow which she uses most days in her outdoor grassed paddock area.

It is fantastic to see an elephant that has spent more than 60 years in captivity demonstrating such natural behaviour. We continue to closely monitor every aspect of her health and wellbeing – Anne currently weighs a healthy 3,680 kgs and her specialist osteopath reports a continued improvement in muscle tone and general movement.

The team are also very happy with her mental state and the way she has settled in so well to her new environment. We are confident this new development will provide her with the very best facilities to live out the rest of her life in comfort.

Finally, thanks to everyone for their on going support for Anne, it’s certainly been quite the journey and we can’t wait to get her settled in to her new home when it’s ready.

The Longleat Team.

 

Sounds great, but they still gloss over the fact she is a single Elephant.

 

If a zoo is going to put out a press release it stands to reason that it fills it full of positivity. Its common sense. Are you telling me you are surprised they left the controversial bit out?

Hasn't this issue been thrashed out already anyway? I think this will be great for Longleat and will surely mean improved conditions for Ann (a perceived improvement at the very least).

 

Not surprised at all. And I don't think it will be resolved until they manage to get her some company, or do they propose to keep her single for the rest of her days? I believe the single most important thing for an Elephant is other elephants.

 

OK, I see. It was an opportunity for you to raise the issue again.

 

The plans for Ann's new home do look very impressive and I am very pleased that things are now moving forward in this direction, time does go quickly, it is three years since she came to Longleat from Bobby Roberts. Company for Ann would be even better still, it is twelve years since she last had elephant companions, perhaps Indra and Katie would like to join her from Blackpool in her new luxury home?

 

That would be a good idea, Blackpool want to revamp their Elephant exhibit so moving the two females to Longleat on-loan would be a great idea.

 

I think it is important that its not overlooked.. I also realise it is not simple to source other elephants at the drop of a hat, also that compatability plays a role too and it may not always work out as intended. However I like to think they are looking for other Elephants though it does not appear to be mentioned.

There are currently three singleton Elephants residing in South West England- for various reasons of which I am aware- but it seems a rather retrograde step in this day and age.

 

Plus a one living in a Hindu Temple in Wales.

 

About Anne's New Haven

as far as I'm concern it's going into The Big Game Park you know where the rhinos, ostrich, oryx, roan antelope, camels and pere david deer are and Anne will have next door neighbours with other animals

 

Anne's new haven is coming along famously and the new elephant house is now going into the Big Game Park

 

you know the name for the elephant haven at Longleat. what about Anne's Haven

 

Who looks foward to seeing Anne in her new haven once the construction on her new home is completed

 

Hi all, i went to longleat last year and noticed that on the way out there was a sign that there was going to be painted dogs and sun bears! Are the signs still there or have these plans gone out the window .

 

it wasn't happened this year but In the future there will be African Painted Dogs and Sun Bears to join the lions, tigers, cheetahs and wolves but in their own enclosure

 

A visit to Longleat today..

There are now 3 Tapirs on show, I had thought there was only 2, one being the older female Jess.

Anne was off show today, and the Rhino were occupying her paddock. Her new house is in the process of being built in the big game park, next to the camel house. A statement at the start of August said they wanted to have the building waterproof within 8 weeks. This must be some what delayed, as there was only 2 sides up today!

The signs for the painted dogs, and sun bears have been removed, and there are 5 lions now occupying the first lion enclosure. The second pride seems to be doing very well with many juvenile lions fenced off.

Nico is still doing well on his Island, and is now almost totally grey. The other gorillas also looked well, and were enjoying play fighting.

There was a sealion pup on the beach and it is 3 months old. Buster is still doing well at the age of 19!

The park is being decorated in elaborate Chinese lights, it looks like this year they will be spending a fortune on Christmas!

 

It's brillaint to know and I said on Facebook about 6 months ago regarding African Painted Dogs and Sun Bears and it's maybe in the future. Can't wait to see Anne in her new home. did you know for Anne it's like home sweet home at last

 

if annes new home is going into the big game park will that still house the current occupants but with smaller space or will it expand into another of the reserves

 

Anne's new home will cover a paddock of roughly 3.6 acres. It is situated in the top left corner of the game park, between the monkeys boundary fence, and the camel house. I have put a picture in the gallery, although its not very good quality. This new home, covers only a tiny fraction of what is a big space, so wont effect the other animals.