Construction and Development Plans
The Zoo is in the process of building a multifaceted elephant care and breeding facility that includes housing for up to 20 elephants, including five bulls of various ages including:
- A 10,000-square-foot bull barn that currently houses one female elephant cow from the Philadelphia Zoo and Jackson, the Pittsburgh Zoo's bull elephant. Construction on the facility was completed in September 2008.
- Reinforcement fencing around specific paddocks was erected when the bull barn was built.
- Construction of a 44,000-square-foot building (an acre under roof) that includes stalls of various sizes to accommodate mothers and their calves, and be conducive to the herd structure. A key feature of the new facility will be a 20,000-square-feet indoor equestrian-style arena for exercise in winter months, staff training, and education programs. The building will include reproductive research laboratory, an observation deck, and supporting education and animal management offices. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012.