The Zoo’s New Elephant Exhibit

By Lars Lunding Andersen

The Zoo’s new elephant exhibit is located in the northern part of the Zoo facing Frederiksberg Gardens. The new enclosure is amongst the largest exhibits in the Zoo and covers approximately 10% of the Zoo’s total area.

The outdoor enclosure of the herd
Having passed through the Nordic area of the Zoo you enter the world of the elephants. Here you get the first glimpse of the outdoor enclosure for the elephants from the platform by the wolves overlooking the Elephant Enclosure. The outdoor enclosure covers 2,500 square metres and is meant to resemble a dry river bed. The three metres deep ditch in which the elephants love to bathe forms the barrier towards the royal park. Within the enclosure there are also mud holes for the elephants to bathe in, feeding grounds and various enrichment activities ensuring that the elephants get as rich a life as possible. In the wild, elephants move about much more than they do in zoological gardens, for instance when they search for food. Special feeding grounds have been established in the outdoor enclosure encouraging the elephants to walk from one feeding ground to the next exactly like they do in the wild.

The elephant path
From the terrace the path continues westbound on two levels. If you choose the upper path you can enjoy the view from the terrace under the ginkgo tree in front of the old Elephant House. If you choose the lower path you are on the same level as the elephants leading up to the entrance of the new house. From both paths there is a magnificent view of the elephant herd with the Frederiksberg Gardens forming a distinguished background.

The square
Southwest of the entrance of the new Elephant House there is a square. Here it is possible to relax and enjoy the sun before entering the house.

The entrance
Automatic, sliding glass doors give access to the house. On the right there is a view to the indoor herd area through huge glass panes. The stable alone is 1½ times bigger than the former outdoor elephant enclosure. For the wellbeing of the elephants the floor is covered with ½ metre of sand.

The balcony
From the balcony at the far end of the building opposite the entrance there is a view to the outdoor enclosure. Inside the house a gently sloping ramp leads to the ground floor.

The exhibition ramp
Along the ramp show cases focus on the cultural history of elephants and the history of elephants in Copenhagen Zoo. From the ramp there is also a view to the stables of the male elephants situated under the smaller glass dome. As in nature, the male elephants only join the females during the mating season.

The indoor herd area
The last part of the ramp leads through to the “herd stable”. As in the old Elephant House the visitors are now very close to the elephants and can both hear and smell them. Strong charcoal fibre ropes with thin, electric wires form a barrier between the elephants and the visitors. The floor is covered with sand and the keepers hide food for the elephants in heaps of sand in order to encourage the animals to forage. A number of huge gates lead into extra stables that are not visible to the Zoo visitors. The glass roof secures that the stables are always light, and that the elephants can – even indoors – follow the changing of the seasons. As in the outdoor enclosure, various measures ensure that the elephants are enriched 24 hours a day.

The science centre
From the herd area you enter a small science centre. A number of interactive installations and exhibitions tell the history and biology of the elephants, as well as nature conservation.

The area of the male elephants
The visitors leave the house through sliding glass doors in the north-eastern façade of the house. Eastwards you get a last glimpse of the outdoor enclosure of the elephant herd. Westwards you see the outdoor enclosure of the male elephants. Also here, feeding grounds and various measures ensure a rich and varied life for the bulls. The glimpse of the outdoor enclosure of the male elephants is the last stop on the journey through the world of the elephants. The path now leads the visitors into the Asian section of the Zoo with Amur leopards, Amur tigers, Malayan tapirs, red pandas and small-clawed otters.