When people think about the National Zoo they invariably think about Giant Pandas. And there's no wonder why--the zoo has traded off of their cuteness for decades. Also, if you've ever seen one in the flesh--they will not disappoint you in their all out adorableness. However, when I think of the National Zoo, the first thing that comes to mind are Asian Elephants. The National Zoo has spent multi-millions of dollars to care for and expand the holding areas for their Asian Elephants. It's safe to say that what they have is absolutely state of the art.
The zoo acts as a sort of retirement home for geriatric females, at one time housing 4 old girls in their late-40's and 50's. Today there are just two elderly females. Bozie and Swarma are both 50. Both were orphaned in the wild and ended up spending the first few years of their lives in the same Elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka before coming to North America to live in zoos. Separated for over 20 years, when Swarma and her daughter, Maharani (age 34), came to the National Zoo in 2014, she had an immediate connection with Bozie, as if she clearly remembered her childhood companion.
Spike is the sole male in the herd. He was born in 1981, and at the age of 44, he's earned the status of "old man" himself. Spike was transferred from an AZA zoo in Tampa, Florida in 2018 in the hopes that he and Maharani would have a successful love connection. The two lived together in the past at the Calgary Zoo and successfully mated there; although the infant did not survive.
The newest members of the herd are another mother daughter duo. Trong Nhi (age 22) and her daughter Nhi Linh (age 12) were transferred to the National Zoo from the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands in 2022. This inter-generational herd mimics with the exception of it's limited size what a herd might look like in the wild. Spike is gentle and calm presence with the potential now of breeding three of the females. Seems like the only thing missing are the pitter-patter of little feet!
The present configuration includes an expanded and state-of-the-Art Elephant house built from the Renovated former Elephant/Hippo Barn. There are also three generous "yards"; one with a large immersion pool for swimming, and another with a water feature that allows for lots of aqua play. Additionally, there is a dedicated pathway that only the Elephants have access to that takes them up the ridge and through the woods for purposes of exercise and further enrichment. As a guest, you have nothing short of six different and unique vantage points from which to observe the Elephants, all the while allowing the animals to have unfettered opportunities to move about and make choices as to who they want to spend time with. You often still find Bozie and Swarma hanging together.
When you reach the top of the North American Trail you end up in a little plaza that features your first view from this approach of the Asian Elephants; if they happen to be hanging out in this 3rd of their three yards. Today, one of the six members of the herd was!
The plaza has a pathway that leads you around a knoll and up to the main pathway of the zoo. From here the first entrance on the left takes you to the southern end of the first yard with its submersion pool. At one point, this area was home to the zoo's Hippopotamus, a species it no longer cares for.
Beyond this is the Elephant House. The original structure was built in the 1930's. In the early 2010's the Elephant House underwent a $52 million renovation along with the development of the present multi-yard and exercise trail foot print at the zoo.
The Hippo in the floor mosaic is a nod to one of the building's original inhabitants. I can't think of another zoo with such a huge and inviting interior space for experiencing Elephants.
Three elephants were inside at the time of my visit. Keepers were treating them with elephant kibbles.
This elephant and keeper has a well coordinated routine of tossing and catching the kibble in her mouth!
This elephant waited patiently for the keeper to make a pile of kibble.
Then she scooped it up!
Spike got his treats through a special gate.
When the keepers were through, Spike moved over to grab some hay from a feed bin. You can really see just how much larger the "old man" is from the younger females.
In one yard, the keepers firmly planted stalks of Bamboo. This allows for the Elephants to grab and break them off in pursuit of the sparse green foliage. A skill they would use in the wild. Opportunities like this not only mimic natural settings, but give guests the opportunity to see the animal behave in a natural way, consistent with their instincts in their native environment.
Zooming out, you can see the available size of this second yard.
The double gate system leads Elephants from the second to the third yard.
Here one of the older females enjoys bamboo left out in the upper reaches of the third yard.
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