The elephants in Prague zoo spend the nights in outdoor paddocks

That is how the first late evening, that elephant calves Max and Rudi spent in the outdoor paddock along with their mothers Janita and Tamara, was looking. Photo: Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo.

Friday night of August 17, was the first night that all the elephant cows and both calves spent outside. According to the new general zookeeper Martin Kristen, who was checking on them every two hours, the first night went very well. The elephants were enjoying their stay in the paddock and were behaving unexpectedly actively. „They were suddenly caught only by the howl of the wolves, in response to which the elephants trumpeted and ran around in the paddock. At the end of the night, they calmed and were trying just to muffle the wolves by trumpeting loudly for about five or six minutes. In the morning half of the wolves was hidden in the yard, however their keeper did not remember that“, – added the general zookeeper, laughing.

Why is it good for the elephants to be outside at night? „It is important for the elephants to have a change of scenery“, – explains Martin Kristen. „It motivates them for different activities and prevent from stereotype behavior. Shortly, we try to make their life as diverse as possible“.

In the following weeks, the young elephant cows, brought from Sri Lanka, Tamara and Janita along with their offspring Maxmilian and Rudolf will spend every night in the middle paddock. Two elephant cows Gulab and Shanti will spend every other night in the next paddock alternating with bull Ankhor. Prague Zoo areal is open every day until 9 pm; hence, the visitors now have an opportunity to observe the elephants at sunset.