December 8, 2011

RESIDENT ELEPHANTS MIMI & DOLLY MOVE TO TOYOTA ELEPHANT PASSAGE EXHIBIT
Move Goes Smoothly After Months of Preparation and Training

Denver Zoo elephants Mimi and Dolly traveled by crate to their new home, Toyota Elephant Passage today. Guests will miss the girls at this year's Zoo Lights event, which begins tomorrow night. However the move allows staff and elephants time to get acclimated to their new 10-acre home featuring six interconnected habitats and more than 100 gated passageways.

Mimi and Dolly have been training for this move throughout the summer and fall. Using positive reinforcement, the two elephants were trained to walk into crates. Today, their training paid off as zookeepers moved the crates via crane and truck to the elephants more spacious exhibit, Toyota Elephant Passage. The elephant bedrooms within the Clayton F. Freiheit Elephant House are approximately twice the size of the rooms in which Mimi and Dolly were previously housed.

"Today went very smoothly. We are thrilled to see them move into Toyota Elephant Passage," said Denver Zoo Vice President for Animal Collections Brian Aucone. "I know they will be so happy in their new home. Our staff is elated to see this happen. It's the best thing for them."

Toyota Elephant Passage is an exhibit designed to house up to eight to 12 elephants and can house up to eight bull (male) elephants. No other zoo habitat has the capability to accommodate that many males. The effort was designed to support zoo breeding programs by providing needed space for bull elephants. Toyota Elephant Passage also will support the Asian elephant Species Survival Plan by enabling artificial insemination techniques through semen collection.

Toyota Elephant Passage is an expansive complex that will allow visitors to explore and discover the rich history of animals in Asian culture, their complicated relationship with humans and the efforts Denver Zoo and its colleagues undertake to protect their future. Guests will be immersed in Asian wildlife and culture through multi-sensory experiences providing greater awareness and understanding of the role we all must play in protecting wildlife for future generations. In addition to elephants, the exhibit will be home to other Asian species, including rhinos, tapirs, small clawed otters, fishing cats and flying foxes.

Although construction will be complete before the end of 2011, ample time for staff training and animal acclimation is planned before the exhibit opens to the public in late spring of 2012. The 100 animal transfer gates that connect the six habitats will be managed from a central control center, connecting two miles of trails for animals to explore. After staff is fully trained on the exhibit, positive reinforcement based training will help zookeepers teach the animals how to navigate the great variety of terrain.