Safari Park unveils $80M Elephant Valley
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Making herself at home. Photo: Kate Murphy/Axios
San Diego Safari Park's 13-acre Elephant Valley exhibit opens today, giving visitors a chance to get up close with the park's eight elephants.
Why it matters: Elephants close up! Also, the space took more than three years to build and is slated to be a major draw to the Escondido park, which is part of the nonprofit San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
- The immersive habitat is the zoo's largest and most transformative project yet, according to officials.
Zoom in: Elephant Valley allows visitors to walk alongside the elephants on a long, winding, closed-in path and bridge that overlook two habitats. There are viewing windows to see the animals up close.
- That's separate from the 1,800-acre park's tram rides, which drive visitors closer to other African animals.
- The exhibit also includes Mkutano House, a two-story restaurant with food inspired by different African regions and a clear view of the animals.
Our thought bubble: We got a preview of the exhibit last month, and it was incredible to see elephants so close — about 15 feet away in some spots. Seeing them interact with staff while they were fed snacks from buckets was especially cool.
- Kate's favorite: Watching them cuddle up and look at their reflections in the watering hole.
- Claire's favorite: An elephant waving her trunk in the air like a hand waving hello.
Inside the elephant room: The new space is home for the elephant matriarch, Swazi, and her daughter Qinisa, along with Ndlulamitsi and her young son Umzula-Zuli.
- Ndlulamitsi is the second-ranking elephant in the herd's natural hierarchy, but likes to subtly test Swazi's authority, according to the Safari Park.
- Elephants live in matriarchal societies, so the group at the Safari Park is the female herd. The male herd lives at the zoo in Balboa Park.
- Young males like Zuli move into bachelor herds when their family decides it's time and once they've learned to become a bull.
The space also includes a swimming hole for a few capybaras and a curious porcupine.
Driving the news: The $80 million space is officially called the Denny Sanford Elephant Valley to recognize its biggest donor.
- It will open at noon after an opening ceremony.
- After that, Elephant Valley will be part of the regular Safari Park ticket.
If you go: Safari Park is open every day 9am–5pm.
- Parking is $20 a day, but free for zoo members.
- Tram rides at the park are free, or you can pay extra for more up-close experiences.
