Jumbo partnership with power company benefits elephants
21st Oct 2016
Weston Power and Avon Wildlife Trust help supply trees for elephant food
Our elephants are benefiting from a new partnership with a regional power company and a local wildlife trust, getting daily access to freshly cut trees to eat.
Always on the look to help develop the benefits of zoos and wildlife parks, we've promoted the change in zoo elephant diets with other industry leaders from high calorie treat foods, to their natural diet of branches and grass. This new partnership will help our Elephants M'Changa and Janu continue enjoying a steady supply of just that. With the help of Weston Power and Avon Wildlife Trust who are both undertaking tree cutting work not far from the 20 acre elephant habitat, our Keepers spotted an opportunity to sustainably recycle the new waste wood. Collected by our hard-working Grounds team who regularly coppice local woodland to supplement the diets of grazing animals at the zoo, trailer loads of tree branches are now collected several times a week from the new area in neighbouring fields and driven back by tractor to our 100 acre estate ready for elephants, giraffes and tapirs.
The government’s Henley Report criticised the zoo elephant world in 2010 for the comparatively short life in captivity of elephants, with too many suffering from arthritis and being over-weight. Noah’s Ark’s Elephant Eden was built in response and has achieved international recognition since for its welfare-improving training, healthcare and nutrition routines. Noah’s Ark has been recognised with industry awards for its sustainable practise and green tourism for visitors, including the national Gold from the Green Tourism Business Scheme and Silver from the 2016 Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism awards. Our visitors are able to enjoy the interesting sight of Janu and M’Changa stripping bark from the fresh branches piled in their field, natural behaviours not commonly seen in zoos and an important educational experience. If you haven't been to Noah's Ark before, plan your visit this weekend for Half Term and see what you're missing. “These are fascinating natural behaviours, which very few people in the world get to watch” said zoo owner Anthony Bush. “It also means that the elephants are never bored, never show stereotypical behaviour”.
We currently have 2 elephants and are in negotiation for receiving others soon - stay tuned for more details over the coming months. We're open Monday to Saturday from 10:30am – 5pm. For more information visit www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk