Sedgwick County Zoo Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley

At just more than five acres, the new Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley Exhibit at the Sedgwick County Zoo features two yards for people to see the elephants. The south yard includes elephant access to the boat ride canal and a water cannon for zookeepers to give elephant-sized baths. The north yard includes a waterfall feature and a wading pool for the elephants. There are also two off-exhibit yards, an elephant indoor facility, covered pavilion, concessions building and shaded amphitheater.

The indoor facility is one of the premier holding buildings for elephants in the country. This state-of-the-art building holds up to nine elephants. It includes multiple elephant rooms with dirt flooring, guest visiting area, a keeper kitchen and keeper office areas. The facility also features an Elephant Restraint Device, which rotates the animals for medical examinations.

The Reed Family Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley Exhibit is the third-largest elephant habitat in the country. The exhibit’s pool is the world’s largest elephant pool at 550,000 gallons and is also the first in the world to feature boat rides in the same water as the elephants.