Europe's Largest Elephant Enclosure

Imagine a five-star spa hotel for elephants with health food, a 9 foot deep swimming pool and 20 acres of roaming space. Welcome to Elephant Eden.

Elephants are probably the trickiest of the big zoo animals to accommodate in captivity.

These special mammals need specialist living conditions and Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm has recognized this by creating the Elephant Eden sanctuary.

Construction work will begin in Wraxall in September 2012, pending a successful fundraising campaign. It is the most ambitious elephant project of its kind ever conceived in the UK and will be the largest elephant enclosure in Europe. The elephant ‘hotel’ will be run by a specialist team of zoo keepers who can tend to the elephants every need offering such services as daily skin rubs.

Elephant Eden has the capacity to hold 10 elephants and has been designed using the best techniques from other zoos in the country. One Asian male elephant and Four Asian female elephants will also be pampered with a range of treatments including massages, mud baths and pedicures. Elephants will not be taken from the wild, but will come from other zoos because these new facilities can benefit them here.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm owner Anthony Bush said: “We’ve listened to the advice and experiences of elephant keepers across the UK, and have been working with recognised experts to get advice and design tips for the new elephant territory. “Elephant Eden will become a sanctuary of international importance, and with the support of the public we look forward to improving the conditions for these incredible creatures.”