Elephant Exhibit Expansion
On June 22, 2008, the Houston Zoo, Inc., celebrated the completion of the first phase of the new and innovative elephant facility at the new
McNair Asian Elephant Habitat. The 7,000-square foot elephant barn, additional outdoor holding areas, and an improved viewing area are the first phase of a two-phase program to expand the elephant facility at the Zoo.
The new barn’s features include improved keeper work areas and 18 to 24-inch deep sand ‘floors’ in the elephant ‘bedrooms’. In the words of the Zoo’s Large Mammal Curator, Daryl Hoffman, “For our elephants it’s like having deep plush carpeting.” The barn is the first to feature these ‘floors’ in the design and construction of the facility.
The west wall of the barn features four 8-foot by 8-foot sliding glass doors to permit Zoo guests the opportunity to see our keepers train and interact with the elephants while they are working inside the barn. Keepers can open the glass doors to conduct keeper chats and presentations for the Zoo guests.
The Phase Two portion of the expansion will include a third elephant yard and a second pool, extending the elephant ‘property’ line to the Brown Education Center.
