Baylor and Tupelo cooling off in their big kiddie pool.
With Spring approaching and the temperatures slowly rising, kids all over Houston are starting to think about swimming and playing outside. The baby elephants at the Houston Zoo are no exception. Now that Baylor weighs more than 1,100 pounds and Tupelo about 600 pounds, the small, inflatable pools do not last longer than 5 minutes without getting popped. Houston Zoo keepers have to give Baylor and Tupelo a much bigger kiddie pool to play in.
The babies now get a family size pool which is 120 inches in length and can hold both calves. It is a lot more durable and usually lasts for about 5 uses before it has to be replaced. Playing in the pool is a fun enrichment activity for the babies and the pool is given to them when the weather allows.
Pool time is unannounced and unplanned. Guests who happen to be in the area around the elephant deck at the right time get to enjoy watching the calves splash around in the pool. However, Zookeepers do bathe the elephants everyday at 10 a.m. with a Meet the Keeper at the barn windows.
Written by Mandy Rinker, Houston Zoo Elephant Keeper
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