Elephants of Asia

Built on the banks of the serene Seletar Reservoir, this exhibit is home to our herd of five female elephants. Nestled in this quiet nook of the Zoo, you can enjoy panoramic views of the reservoir while watching our elephants at play.

Play is not only fun but helps our elephants develop skill and strength. Enrichment devices like play logs and rubber balls challenge our elephants physically and stimulate them mentally. Gambir especially enjoys a round with a rubber ball.

Look out also for ‘snack boxes’ hung up high in the trees in the exhibit. They are filled with pellets or treats like bananas, apples and carrots, so you’d also see a fleshy trunk or two trying to fish the treats out from small holes.

The trunk also works as a hose. You’d find the elephants playfully showering each other or just taking a dip at the bathing pool. As elephants do not have sweat glands, they relish frolics in the water as one way to prevent overheating.

Wallowing in mud also provides a welcome respite from the sun. Caking themselves in earth protects their skin from sunburn and insect bites. Jati loves dusting herself with sand, which has the same functions as mud.

Besides providing food and taking care of their charges’ physical and mental health, the keepers also double up as ‘beauty consultants’. Foot care is an important part of our elephants’ ‘beauty’ regime. The keepers perform a complete pedicure for their charges when their toenails start getting long or when dead skin starts to accumulate.