Blackpool Zoo’s £2.5m elephant enclosure takes shape

A multi-million pound project is taking shape at Blackpool Zoo to round off a record year for one of Lancashire’s busiest visitor attractions.

The zoo believes the £2.5m scheme, known as Project Elephant, is its most ambitious and largest single investment to date.

Now, work on what will become one of the UK’s biggest indoor elephant facilities is nearly complete.

Builders will start putting the scheme’s three-acre outdoor area together soon for a grand opening in 2017 coinciding with the zoo’s 45th anniversary celebrations.

In 2016, Blackpool Zoo saw its visitor numbers rise by 7%, while revenues leapt 10% year on year. Additionally, the attraction’s visitor offer expanded with the birth of more than 50 babies, ranging from the Californian sea lion to the endangered Bactrian camel.

Darren Webster, the site’s managing director, said: “It has been another extraordinary year here at Blackpool Zoo, with record numbers of people visiting us.

“Our keepers work day and night to look after our residents and 50 new babies is a wonderful achievement. Everyone was emotional when Radzi and Barney left the zoo, but we are keeping up to date with their progress and they are very happy in their new homes.”

He continued: “Since breaking ground on our mammoth development in July we have made excellent progress and now the building is almost complete, the sheer scale of the project can now be seen by all.

“Next year marks the 45th anniversary of Jonny Morris cutting the ribbon to open the zoo to the public and the changes during that time have been astounding.”

Speaking further, Darren pointed out that the zoo has invested millions in its facilities over the last decade and will continue to do so “for years to come”.