What is The National Elephant Center?
The National Elephant Center is a new model supporting excellence in elephant care. Specifically, The Center is a professional elephant care facility focused on advancing the care of elephants in North America. A collaborative effort with support from 73 zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), The Center will:
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Support population management for North American elephants cared for in AZA-accredited zoos across the country. For example, The Center will provide a flexible habitat for bull elephants, herds and social groupings and help support the elephant programs in the 73 zoos with elephant programs.
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Serve as a centralized training facility for elephant keepers, veterinarians and others.
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Conduct and contribute to husbandry research to determine the best methods of animal care, and;
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Participate in conservation projects in partnership with accredited zoos and elephant conservationists worldwide.
Why create The National Elephant Center?
For many years, curators, keepers, veterinarians and others associated with the care of elephant at Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) institutions wanted a facility to provide short- and long-term solutions to help manage the nation’s nearly 290 elephants that live at 77 different AZA-accredited facilities.
In 2004 the idea of creating a national elephant center came as the result of an AZA Elephant Management Strategic Planning Meeting involving thought leaders and members of the Elephant Taxon Advisory Group/Species Survival Plan (TAG/SSP). Shortly thereafter, dozens of AZA-accredited zoos donated critical funding support to explore options for establishing a Center, which will be an important tool in elephant management and conservation.
Where is The National Center located?
The National Elephant Center will be located at the northern end of Fellsmere on a 225-acre site, farmed privately for a hundred years as a citrus grove. The site is surrounded by farmland.
How many elephants will be at the Center?
It’s premature to set an exact number, as it will depend on the need and on our operational capabilities. Dozens of elephants could be cared for in the future, though it will likely be home to less than ten for the initial years of operation.
Is the Center a lot like a zoo?
The National Elephant Center is not a zoo nor is it attempting to replace the important education and conservation roles AZA-accredited zoos which elephants fill every day. The Center is being developed to enhance our ability to manage and care for the zoo elephant population in North America and to create a sustainable future for elephants through research and conservation efforts by animal care experts.
Can I visit The National Elephant Center?
As a professional elephant care facility, The Center is not intended as a public attraction. Once it is operational, the Center will have options for scheduled visitation at special times and it will be used for educational opportunities for schools in the surrounding area.
Why do zoos keep elephants in their care?
AZA-accredited zoos play a critical role in society today by helping connect people with wildlife and inspiring them to take action to help wildlife, like the endangered Asian and African elephant. Without professionally-managed zoos, very few North Americans would ever see a living elephant, let alone experience the emotional connections. We know through research that these connections can inspire caring about elephants and participating in elephant conservation.
A 2005 Harris poll shows that 94 percent of the public agrees that children are more likely to be concerned about animals if they learn about them at zoos, marine life parks and aquariums. The same poll shows that 95 percent of U.S. adults agree that visiting accredited zoos and seeing elephants and rhinos helps people appreciate them more and encourages people to learn more about them.
When will elephants arrive at The National Elephant Center?
The exact date will depend on site preparation and facilities construction. We hope to have Phase One complete sometime next year, though we cannot confirm that at this time. We will keep you updated and share our progress here on our website.
