CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden broke ground Tuesday morning on a new elephant exhibit described as the biggest habitat in the zoo's history.

What You Need To Know

  • The new elephant habitat is scheduled to open in 2024

  • The zoo said components built into Elephant Trek will help it achieve its goal to be net zero by 2025

  • It also plans to convert elephant waste, and the rest of the facility's organic waste, into a soil supplement,and the zoo will use that material to grow food to feed its animals

A formal shovel-raising ceremony marked the start of construction on Elephant Trek.

The exhibit will be five times the size of the current elephant habitat, according to a release from the zoo. It will be home to a multi-generational herd of eight to 10 Asian elephants.

A tentative opening date is set for 2024.

“Elephant Trek is the result of a big vision that represents our zoo’s role as a champion of Asian elephant conservation, both here in the U.S. and in the places these animals live around the world,” Francie Hiltz, chair of the zoo’s board of trustees, said. “By creating a bigger space for a bigger herd of elephants to thrive, we are making a big commitment to Asian elephant breeding and conservation that will demonstrate to our visitors the power and beauty of co-existence for animals and humans.”

The zoo said components built into Elephant Trek will help it achieve its goal to be net zero by 2025. That includes storm water tanks that will hold 1 million gallons of water.

It also plans to convert elephant waste, and the rest of the facility's organic waste, into a soil supplement. The zoo will use that material to grow food to feed its animals.

Beyond helping with energy consumption, those elements will help cut down on costs. 

Fundraising for Elephant Trek began began in 2018 as part of the zoo's "More Home to Roam" capital campaign. But fundraising paused last year during COVID-19. The zoo ended up closing for three months. At that time efforts turned to raising emergency operating funds, according to the release.

The zoo said it received a $50 million matching donation from Harry and Linda Fath in 2018 to kick off the capital campaign. A recent gift from The Farmer Family Foundation will fund a multi-purpose elephant barn in the new habitat, according to the zoo.

The zoo said it suspended plans to build a parking garage due to the fundraising challenges caused by the pandemic.