Elephants have been resident at Blackpool zoo since it opened (1972) Kate & Crumple.

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2 Elephants have been resident at Blackpool zoo since it opened (1972) Kate & Crumple. Decision to stop our Free contact system of Elephant Keeping was taken in 2009 and a Protected contact system was implemented in the existing facility. The freedom of movement allowed under the Free contact system was no longer an option and as such the current facility was not deemed suitable for their long term management. Only one of the old females now remains Kate 49 years old Long term decision about keeping Elephants at Blackpool zoo was required?

3 Project Elephant is Blackpool zoos long term commitment to Elephants. It focuses on a multifaceted approach to the continuous improvement of the zoos captive population of Elephants, their long-term management, breeding and welfare needs, with special focus on their physiological and phycological wellbeing..

4 Elephant Management Visitor Experience Facility design (Basecamp) Conservation Staff/Training Education Breeding/EEP Research Welfare

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6 4 Years in the planning 13 months construction completed August 2017 First Elephant moved in October 2017 Public opening Easter

7 KEY FACTS: Project Elephant Facility (Basecamp) Overall project size 1.2 Ha. Internal facility: 2,000 m2. Indoor area On show-: 664 m2. Indoor Gallery for visitors: 180 m2. Height of Building 11m Steel gates/fencing 4.2m Outdoor area- Grass Paddock-: 6,130 m2. Sand paddock (pool) -: 1,260 m2 Bull Paddock:- 500 m2 Pool 675 m3 Landscaped paddock with Willow plantation. *Largest Internal Elephant facility in the UK Bull access to all areas (24hr access to cows if required). 16 hydraulic gates, ERD & Weigh Bridge, 9 Protective contact training walls tonnes of Estuary sand (1.4m depth internal). Built in Enrichment feeders & Winches 12 CCTV observation & security Cameras Keepers (high level) observation office. High level Gantry & research observation platform Ease of access for loading/unloading Elephants for transport. 55,000 ltr Rain water harvesting system (sprinkler system, water cannon, pool). Rubber or Sand substrate on all flooring (internal). High level public viewing gantry Internal. High level & ground level public viewing opportunities external. INITIAL INVESTMENT: 3m Our largest ever animal facility investment.. 7

8 Kate Minbu Noorjhan Tara Esha

9 Project Elephant Basecamp was built to house a breeding herd of Asian Elephants, and while our herd will initially be an all female group, we are working with the EEP to bring an adult male elephant (known as a bull) to Blackpool. The introduction of a bull will provide the herd with stability and a sense of calm, as well as being available for breeding.

10 NAWALA KIOSK

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14 ASIAN ELEPHANTS - ENDANGERED Asian elephants are classified as endangered by the IUCN, which sadly means they are facing a high risk of extinction in the near future. Over the last 100 years the Asian elephant population has declined by 90% to less than 50,000 elephants, with only 4,000-5,000 remaining in Sri Lanka. There are a number of factors which have contributed to this population decline, but the most significant of these include habitat loss and fragmentation, human-elephant conflict, poaching and disease. We work with a number of animal conservation projects around the world, including BECT who are working to reduce the threat of human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka. They work closely with local schools and communities teaching them new ways to cope with the conflicts, but their vital work cannot be done without donations. No one will protect what they do not care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced. ~ Sir David Attenborough

15 Following the next BBLG meeting (23 rd Village Hotel) you are all welcome to visit and take a look at the new attraction. More details will be sent to Philip ahead of the meeting. Microsite: