Every morning at 11 a.m., the Wild Animal Park has a special event for visitors and Elephant Cam viewers: seeing the exuberance of our African elephants as they rush out to enjoy treats
Each day the elephant keepers gather the herd at the upper yard, then place a pachyderm-size spread of food, hidden goodies, items to interact with, piles of dirt or hay, water for a mud wallow, and a changing variety of other enrichment opportunities throughout the exhibit. You can watch as the keepers set everything up, and at the elephant viewing patio, a staff member will be on hand to talk with guests about what's happening and answer questions.
Then at 11 a.m., the rush begins as the elephants eagerly head out into the exhibit to enjoy the snacks, search for treats, and play with items—and each other! With three calves less than six months old and five older siblings, each day is full of fun and a joy to watch. Come see it all in person on a visit to the Wild Animal Park (be sure to bring your camera for great photos), or watch it here between 10:45 and 11:30 a.m. Every day is a new adventure!
There are lots of ways to view elephants these days. The easiest is, of course, the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park Elephant Cam! You could also travel to Africa, but if you want to observe these mighty creatures up close, just come to the Wild Animal Park! We have a large exhibit area for our African elephant herd.
An elevated walking path called the Elephant Overlook takes you out along the side of the exhibit area to see what our pachyderms are up to. You can also view elephants next to the Elephant Show area.
Most elephants enjoy a dip in a pool of water, or at least like to get their feet wet. The elephant exhibit offers a large pond, shaded with trees, for the elephants to do just that. There are also shade structures made of simulated rock and plenty of room to roam. From the elephant overlook, you can even view the elephant barn and holding yard, where the elephants go in the mornings when the keepers are cleaning the spacious main yard and hiding treats for the elephants to discover.
Ever looked in on Elephant Cam and noticed a decidedly un-elephant-like creature or two? Those are mule deer, Southern California natives that make their home on the outskirts of the Wild Animal Park. Occasionally, a deer decides to jump into the elephant yard to see what's for dinner! The older elephants don't seem to be bothered by these freeloaders, but the younger elephants find the deer quite fun to chase.
And it's not a UFO! The round, yellow object in the background of our Elephant Cam is the Park's Balloon Safari ride.
