Elephant Exhibit, Oregon Zoo
Elephant Exhibit, Oregon Zoo
Project Details
Project Story
Working with large intelligent animals with specific needs provides unique challenges and opportunities. MCE was contacted to improve the new Elephant Lands facility for both trainers and animals. This included the following: adding a training wall to an existing enclosure, providing additional safety for staff during oral exams, providing comfort measures for mother elephants and calves by providing mother-baby viewing window when they need to be separated, and providing an escape path for keepers when walking along the fence line adjacent to a drop off.
There is no elephant code book; a key part of engineering is developing appropriate loads. We worked with the Zoo to estimate the appropriate loading and design factors to keep animals and staff safe while providing an effective design.
