Adventure Africa: Milwaukee County Zoo unveils new home for elephants

MILWAUKEE -- A new home for the elephants at the Milwaukee County Zoo officially opened to the public Saturday, May 4.

The Zoo transformed one-fourth of their current layout to create a new, 20,000-square-foot elephant care center, "Adventure Africa."

According to the Zoo, Adventure Africa features a recreation room with both sand and padded floors, five individual stalls for training and husbandry (allowing the elephants to participate in their own healthcare) and expansive space for enrichment activities.

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The elephants haven't been seen by the public since  Oct. 2018. The Zoo says it was a heartwarming experience for folks to get out and enjoy the new exhibit.

"This project has taken probably about five to seven years," said Jenny Diliberti, public relations coordinator for the Milwaukee County Zoo. "In 2011, our zookeeper staff went to other zoos to try to see what they wanted in terms of a design for our elephant exhibit. Now, years in the making, it's open for people to see."

Adventure Africa also has a watering hole, feeding and enrichment walls, shade structures and even a self-standing shower. It's also four times larger in size than the entire former elephant exhibit.