African Elephant Crossing Update

• Posted at 2:41 pm on August 27, 2009 by web keeper
• In Elephants Comments: 1

Find out how the Zoo's elephants, Jo, Moshi and Martika, are doing in Columbus and read more about the construction of African Elephant Crossing, including how the project is on track to become the first major outdoor exhibit to be LEED certified.

Nearly one year has passed since Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's three female elephants packed their trunks and headed to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to make way for construction of their brand new home.

Meanwhile, much progress has been made on the new African Elephant Crossing habitat and education center, which is quickly shaping up to put Cleveland Metroparks Zoo at the forefront of modern elephant care. The 5-acre, $25 million project remains on track to open in spring 2011, and elephants "Moshi," "Jo" and "Martika" are scheduled to return to Cleveland before the grand opening.

Here's the latest news surrounding African Elephant Crossing:

• Nearly 75 construction workers are on site daily.
• Currently, work is underway on the elephants' swimming pool, a 26-foot-deep basement for the water filtration system, outdoor rock work, an addition to the former Pachyderm Building and reinforcing walls and ceilings to withstand the strength of male elephants.
• African Elephant Crossing is on track to become the first major outdoor animal exhibit to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.
• 92 percent of construction waste from the African Elephant Crossing site is being recycled and diverted from landfills.
• About a third of materials being used to build the elephant habitat comes from recycled materials.
• A new water filtration system will cut water usage by 72 percent at the elephant habitat - from 26.3 million gallons per year to 7.5 million.
• To date, Cleveland Metroparks and the Cleveland Zoological Society are within $2.2 million of their $25 million funding goal for the project. African Elephant Crossing will be the Zoos largest capital project since the opening of The RainForest in 1992.
• The Zoos three elephants are doing very well in Columbus, along with two of their keepers from Cleveland. Lead Keeper Mitch Zverina says: "They actually adapted a lot faster than we did. ...But we are looking forward to coming back to Cleveland."

Learn more at clemetzoo.com/elephants/, or call (216) 661-6500. To help bring the herd home, go to clevelandzoosociety.org or call (216) 661-6500 ext. 4461.

The photo below shows the Zoo's three African elephants in their exibit at the Columbus Zoo.