The Cheyenne Mountain zoo is opening a new elephant enclosure in 2012 (for $13.5 million). The enclosure’s plans show an interesting feature… A two acre holding yard! The elephants entire area is about 3.5-4 acres.
Other features include:
- Beautiful new plaza area featuring a traditional African tent (a great space for education programs and events) and four full-size African elephant scuptures, as well as an ampitheater that will allow guests to see elephant training, enrichment and husbandry.
- Significantly expanded elephant exhibit featuring a stunning waterfall, pool with deep and shallow areas and multiple yards.
- A BIG barn! Our new barn will be several times the size of our current barn, giving our elephants lots of space for training and enrichment. This building will feature a large natural substrate sand stall and a “Splash Stall” with elephant-operated warm-water shower.
- New exhibit for the critically endangered black rhinoceros featuring mud wallows, a shallow pool, and a bush airplane cantilevered from the top of the exhibit (from which guests can get a unique and up-close view of the rhino) .
- New exhibit for our African lion pride, featuring upper and lower viewing areas and heated rocks. We will also create a new indoor lion holding area, which will feature new, larger dens and more options for our prid.e
- A “Skybridge” that will take guests from the exhibit to the barn, enabling them to see the elephants from above.
(Features from the zoo’s website)
The zoo said they would not be breeding their breeding age female elephant Malaika.
The elephant barn is due to be completed in the coming months, I am unaware as to if the elephants will be moving into the barn prior to the exhibits completion. I have a feeling that the two acre holding yard is being constructed as well, and the elephants will live there full time until the actual exhibit is completed.
Barn with a splash stall
Kimba-34
Lucky-32
Malaika-24
gorgeousingray 