New Asian Elephant Preserve at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
SYRACUSE -- Thursday was a big day for the elephants at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
Thursday, the zoo's elephants got a chance to check out their new stomping grounds as the zoo unveiled its new expanded Asian Elephant Preserve. Ted Fox, curator at the zoo, says of the highlights of the new preserve is a four acre outdoor area where the elephants can enjoy the outdoors.
"We've tried to work in interesting things into the exhibit. They can use the rocks, sandpit areas, there's a scratching post that resembles a fallen tree that I am sure they are going to go for right away," he says.
When they are not outside, the elephants will have a brand new home to hang out in. Lorrel Walter says the new Rifken Family Pachyderm Pavilion was custom-built using state of the art technology.
"The new pavilion is really amazing. It has viewing windows, which allow the guests a never before inside look of the elephants being cared for by the trainers," she says.
The new Asian Elephant Preserve can hold up to 12 elephants and will help the zoo expand its world famous Asian Elephant Breeding Program. Walter says the zoo's elephant herd will get even bigger later this summer when three elephants, Mali, Targa and Little Chuck, currently staying at a preserve in Canada, come back home to Syracuse.
"When the elephants come back from Canada this summer, a total of seven elephants will be here at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. So it is going to be a significant size herd and it is going to be amazing to see," she says.
