UK: Blackpool Zoo Opens New Elephant House “Elephant Base Camp“

Tomorrow will see the official opening of Blackpool Zoo’s brand-new elephant house dubbed “Elephant Base Camp“, a project which had been in the planning pipeline for several years and was recently completed after several months of construction. Housing a herd of Asian Elephants, the multi-million pound facility is now home to elephant “Kate“ (pictured), who has been living at Blackpool Zoo for 46 years now, and two other female elephants from Twycross Zoo (Leicestershire). Two remaining female elephants are planned to be transported from Twycross to Blackpool soon and a bull elephant is expected to join the herd in the future.

The new building has been built on previously vacant land at the zoo and adds an around 1.2 hectare large area to the existing offer. Inside the new complex visitors can observe the animals from a raised indoor viewing platform. In the outdoor area, guests will be able to enjoy unobstructed views of the animals in their large paddock, including a sanded area complete with a bathing pool and a landscaped grass field.

The construction of the new elephant facility underlines the zoo’s ongoing commitment to the endangered species. Blackpool Zoo, owned by Spanish Parques Reunidos operator group, has been a long-term supporter of the Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust (BECT) founded in Sri Lanka in 1998 for many years. (eap)