The African Savannah
Set out on foot through the African savannah side by side with the largest creatures that inhabit dry land: the African elephants. This house replicates one of the world's most glorious habitats. Besides the elephants, the premises also contain other creatures: weavers, birds often seen in the savannah, and hyraxes, the closest relatives of the elephant. All the exhibits here have been designed to resemble the animals' original habitats with artificial and real trees, rocks and stones. The house boasts a modern information system and education zones, in addition to a small video room.
List of species
Rock hyrax - We hold one pair and their offspring. The species has only been held here since 2004. 6 animals have so far been born, with 5 having been raised.
Yellow mongoose - One pair and their offspring can be seen in this exhibit. 5 animals have been successfully raised with two more young born this May.
African elephant - 3 animals live here, out of which two are females (Umbu and Saly), the male being called Mooti. The largest land dwelling mammals, they are rarely seen in zoos. Keeping a male is another attraction as they are hard to handle. In the wild, they live alone most of their life. An elephant herd consists of females and young elephants only.
Some statistics
- Total house area: 887 m2
- Inside exhibit area: 440 m2
- Outdoor enclosure: 2,630 m2
- Max. height: 8 m
A brief history
The building was promptly erected on the site of an older elephant house. Demolition work began in March 2005, and the new house opened its gate for the animals soon afterwards in November 2005. The African Savannah more than satisfies the animals' needs, keeping them in real comfort. There is a floor with a top layer of tarmac, wall heating and a pool.
Hydraulic posts can divide the indoor area up into eight separate sections as necessary. Anyhow, the female elephants are not separated at night, but share the entire 320-square-metre hall. The water used in the building is heated using solar panels placed on the roof. In front of the animal entrance, there is a weighing device built into the floor. Thanks to this machine, we know the weight of our female elephants exactly - Umbu weighs 3,700 kg, while Saly weighs 4,155 kg. Visitors can discover how their weights compare to those of a life-sized model of a hairy mammoth.
