Elephant Trails, an innovative new home for Asian elephants at the National Zoo, is the cornerstone of our campaign to save Asian elephants.
Elephant Trails will feature:
- A major transformation and expansion of the current building, featuring flexible elephant stalls.
- A design concept that will allow elephants to live at the Zoo as a herd of related individuals.
- A large indoor habitat with sand flooring and an Elephant Community Center, where the Zoo's elephant herd can be active and socialize throughout the year.
- Diverse outdoor habitats, each with distinctive elements such as pools and sand piles that stimulate natural elephant behavior.
- An Elephant Exercise Trek, a walking trail for elephants that runs up a hill through a forested area of the Zoo and provides the elephants with exercise and natural foraging opportunities.
- Outdoor shaded and heated spots, which will provide the elephants with access to the outdoors throughout the year.
- First-class animal husbandry and medical care based on decades of Smithsonian elephant research at the Zoo and in native habitats.
- Indoor and outdoor public viewing—panoramic and breathtaking views of elephants in a rich, diverse Zoo environment.
- Environmentally friendly practices built into the design of the entire program.
- New opportunities for scientists to study elephants.
- Exhibits for visitors to learn about how we are saving this endangered species and how they can help.
Site Plan Concept
