Best Elephant Park in Europe?

Best Elephant Park in Europe?
24-01-2008

Although I have not "been", I get the impression that in Europe the best elephant parks have fantastic buildings, but the outdoor yards are as barren as elephant yards have been for a century. Is that true?

What are the great elephant parks? Why do you feel they are great?

Thanks

24-01-2008

I haven't seen too many, but i think Chester Zoo's elephant house is very good (the use of rubberised flooring and sand and the enrichment oppurtunities) but the outside is indeed very barren and perhaps a little small for a breeding group of 10 elephants.

Whipsnade has a standard but excellent house and a huge (grassed) paddock, but it has a slightly dysfuntional herd...

I've read on these forums that Cologne (Koln) Zoo in Germany has a massive outdoor area, but I'm not too familiar with that.

Terra Natura's elephant exhibit in Benidorm pleasantly surprised me. It is built on the foot of a large hill and contains large pools close to the visitors and some planting. (There are some pictures in my gallery). I believe the house is quite basic though...

I think there will possibly be better ones however, than the examples I gave...

24-01-2008

Keeping an elephant enclosure green is almost impossible. They destroy any trees and walk down any grass in their enviroments.

__________________
I am Toddy, the zoo-enthusiast from Denmark!
Different zoos visited: 77
Favourite animal: Aardvark
Website: www.zoos.dk

24-01-2008

Yeah I went to the zoo of Cologne and it's idd huge! Sometimes I had a feeling like it was too big. Something strange . And most of the times the animals are allowed to use only a part of the space. But it's impressive, that's true. It's almost half of the zoo .

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www.zooantwerpen.be & www.planckendael.be
www.zoocrew.eu

24-01-2008

I disagree. It can be done, although not if the yard is too small.

Attached Images

Nashville Zoo _post.jpg (35.8 KB, 28 views)

24-01-2008

Like I said. "Almost imposible". It can be done, but most zoo don't have that kind of space.

__________________
I am Toddy, the zoo-enthusiast from Denmark!
Different zoos visited: 77
Favourite animal: Aardvark
Website: www.zoos.dk

24-01-2008

Which raises the question: Why didn't Cologne do it?

24-01-2008

Because Cologne does not have the space needed to keep it green

__________________
I am Toddy, the zoo-enthusiast from Denmark!
Different zoos visited: 77
Favourite animal: Aardvark
Website: www.zoos.dk

24-01-2008

Toddy, do you know the size of their exhibit?

And, for that matter, what's the best elephant exhibit you've seen?

24-01-2008

I don't know the exact numbers, but I visited Cologne twice in July 07.

__________________
I am Toddy, the zoo-enthusiast from Denmark!
Different zoos visited: 77
Favourite animal: Aardvark
Website: www.zoos.dk

24-01-2008

Click here and then on "Gesamtübersichtsplan des Kölner Elefantenparks (Popup-Fenster)", there you´ll get the map of the exibit.
All outdoorenclosures together have a size of 14.000m². The indoor is 2000m² for the females and 750m² for the males.
Actually there life 3,10 elephants. 1,2 of them are calves.

The keepers try to let the gras grow on the exhibit, but it don´t work probably with so many elephants.
All elephants there are hold in protected-contact.

24-01-2008

That is alot of animals in a space that size! Thanks for the links.

24-01-2008

Don't forget the new elephant park in Copenhagen... It's scheduled to open this summer.

24-01-2008

The enclosure of beauval for the african elephant are very good ! 5 ha for outdoor exibit !!

24-01-2008

Whipsnade's outdoor enclosures are very large and stay grassed as a result. They are completely flat and a little featureless but the animals do have that all important space to move about in. Also the cows and calves are walked all around the park most days in what is a very large estate- so they have very good enrichment (better than Chester were they don't leave the paddock) It is a pity Whipsnade's isn't a more cohesive group but that is a problem the elephants themselves seem to have created...