Nashville Zoo African Elephant Savannah Adrienne Broussard
Introduction - Houston Zoo “Natural Encounters” Visit • Rainforest Canopy • Artificial Plants • Looking for an actual “natural encounter” • Found African Elephant Savannah
Nashville Zoo History • 1996 move to 200-acre site Grassmere • 15 year master plan to make one of the largest zoos in the country • Natural habitats- Gibbon Islands, Bamboo Trail, Meerkat Habitat • Newest addition – African Elephant Savannah From http://www.nashvillezoo.org/zoocards/zoocards.htm
Mission Statement • Zoo- “Promoting environmental and species conservation through education and recreation” • Elephant habitat- “To create, for guests, the sensation of feeling transported to Africa” From http://www.pbase.com/deadelvis/image/21901763
Current Funding • The zoo is a non-profit organization • Admission prices, donations, and grants support exhibits • Cal Turner Family Foundation African Elephant Savannah Fund • Elephant paintings From http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elephant_art.html From http://www.elephants.com/tarra/tarra.htm
Zoo President General Curator Assistant Curator Elephant Manager Other Lead Keepers Keepers Organizational Structure
Zoo Map From http://www.nashvillezoo.org/master_plan.htm
Elephant Information • Loxodonta africana, largest terrestrial animal • Live in scattered herds throughout Africa, south of the Sahara desert • Deep forests, marshlands, open savannahs, thornbrush, and semi-desert grasslands • Up to 11 feet tall, 5-7 tons • Distinguished by large fan-like ears From http://www.nashvillezoo.org/elephants.htm
“Pachyderm” • Thick-skinned • Everywhere except inner ear, mouth, and anus • Sparsely covered with bristly hair, babies have more • Gray skin, may appear reddish brown due to mudholing From http://www.birdingamerica.com/DC/elephant.htm
Eating Habits • Herbivores- wild grasses, trees, bark, shrubs, fruits, soils for minerals • Captivity- pellet supplement, fruit and vegetable treats, “wild diet” • Consume up to 500 pounds of food a day • Drink 40 gallons of water at a time From http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Animals/Elephants.htm
Social Habits • Strong family ties • Herds Mothers and calves run by a related matriarch, males live in bachelor herds • Grieve over death of a herd member, bury with twigs, branches and leaves • Care for sick by bringing food and water From http://www.nashvillezoo.org/elephants.htm
Endangerment • Human encroachment of habitat • Poaching for ivory- usually older elephants, loss of matriarch confuses herd, orphans rarely survive • Black market • Kenya- numbers dropped from 150,000 to 30,000 in the last 10 years • Currently 600,000 in Africa From http://congogorillaforest.com/congoconservationchoices/congoelephant
Species Survival Program (SSP) • American Zoo and Aquarium Association • Began 1981, manages breeding to maintain a stable, genetically diverse captive population • Conservation activities research, public education, reintroduction, field projects • 116 species involved
Elephant SSP • Began August 1990 • 122 cows, 13 bulls • Nashville Zoo chosen for artificial insemination research • Kiba, cow at the zoo, ideal age and temperament From http://www.wildlife-pictures-online.com/image-files/xeptb5.jpg
African Elephant Savannah History • Construction began in August of 2003 by Solomon Builders • $3.5 million • Opened April 9, 2005 • Activities included elephant tattoos, color-your-own buttons, African drum and dance group, educational booths, elephant photo opportunities, elephant art posters From http://www.pbase.com/deadelvis/image/43548302
Habitat • 3 acres resembling African savannah to house the zoo’s 3 female elephants-Hadari, Sukari, and Kiba • Several viewing points along a trail, 150,000 gallon wading pool, mudhole, barn, tall trees and extensive landscaping • Safari “camps” From http://www.nashvillezoo.org/master_plan.htm
Exhibit From http://www.aza.org/Publications/2005/05/ExhibitsMay05.pdf
Daily Schedule • 6:30 am- morning grain, barn cleaned and hosed • 6:50 am- Brisk walk for 1 mile • After walk- individually bathed • Released into yard, weather permitting, forage, swim, wallow, socialize, rest • Throughout the day, removed one at a time for tub work, harness work, and painting, leg work is done in the yard • 4:00 pm- afternoon grain in the yard, keeper questions • 6:00 pm- 1 mile walk • 6:30 pm- Put up in barn • 9:00 pm- Water refilled, droppings removed, given hay for the night
Landscaping • 7000 plants, 5000 ornamental grasses • Resemble African species- for example, Honey Locust used in place of Acacia Honey Locust From http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/12541/#42105 Acacia From http://www.wildwatch.com/resources/plants/acacias.asp
Grasses • Miscanthus, Arundo, Pampas • Grown in special substrate • Encourage deep rooting systems • Reduce trampling from elephants • Special soil mix also used to reduce grass compaction Pampas Miscanthus From http://bonsaibc.ca/peninsula/Miscanthus_Morning_light_O.-2__-2002.JPG From http://www.thegardenhelper.com/pampaspix.html
Safari Camps • Along viewing trail, educational tool • Resemble research camps in Africa • Contain tents and basic supplies • Each features a different topic focusing on elephant conservation and the elephants relationships with African cultures • Also carts with docents armed with biofacts • Keeper chats, foot trimming and bathing demonstrations
Future Funding • American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s Conservation Endowment Fund • Mission Statement- “We envision a world where all people respect, value, and conserve animals and nature” • Goals: Advancement of zoos and aquariums in conservation, education, science, and recreation, financial support for AZA members • Zoo involvement in SSP, education of public about research and conservation, natural habitat
Future Funding contd. • The Conservation and Research Small Grants Program of the Cleveland Zoological Society • Mission Statement- “To improve the future for wildlife by exhibiting animals and plants and providing education and conservation programs which encourage respect and stewardship of the natural world and a better understanding of our place within it” • Goals: support conservation and research initiatives involving animals and their habitat, and educational/cultural activities that involve animals • Natural habitat construction, SSP, public education, animal enrichment
Evaluation Process • Currently no formal evaluation method • Elephant Perspective: Elephant managers have had 25 years experience, evaluate on a daily basis • Zoo Visitor Perspective: 7% increase in visitors From http://www.elephants.com/physicians.htm
Recommendations • Bring in outside experts for an outside opinion • Landscaping expert evaluate monthly • Include African savannah as an educational topic • Maintenance costs • Pro- Public viewing of animals in natural environment • Con- Thousands of dollars in upkeep
Summary • Popularity of “natural habitats” • Provide animal enrichment • Bring in more visitors • Nashville Zoo rewarded for Elephant Savannah by involvement in SSP • No formal evaluation • Elephant biology, research, conservation addressed • Landscape recognition • Overall, positive impact on elephants and people From http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Tanzania/Serengeti/Elephant22.jpg
References • African Elephants. (2005). Retrieved 10/13/2005 from http://www.nashvillezoo.org/elephants.htm. • American Zoo and Aquarium Association Conservation Endowment Fund. (2005). Retrieved 10/05/2005 from http://www.aza.org/ConScience/WhatIsCEF/. • Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Grants. (2005). Retrieved 10/05/2005 from • http://www.clemetzoo.com/conservation/grants.asp#smallgrants • Elephant Conservation (2005). Retrieved 10/13/2005 from http://www.nashvillezoo.org/elephants2.htm. • Nashville Zoo Elephant Habitat. (2005). Retrieve 10/13/2005 from http://www.nashvillezoo.org/elephant_habitat.htm. • Nashville Zoo Master Plan. (2005). Retrieved 10/19/2005 from http://www.nashvillezoo.org/master_plan.htm • Sarles, Judy. Elephant Exhibit Opening Draws 6,600+ to Nashville Zoo. (2005, April 11). Retrieved 10/15/2005 from http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2005/04/11/daily6.html • Species Survival Plan. (2005). Retrieved 10/14/2005 from http://www.nashvillezoo.org/ssp.htm.
Any Questions? From http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Tanzania/Selous/Elephant03.jpg
