The prototype for the perimeter fencing of the new Asian elephant habitat at Werribee Open Range Zoo has been unveiled.
The five-kilometre fence will keep the new Asian elephant herd safe and secured and will be engineered to be able to withstand the weight and force of a herd of adult Asian elephants.
“The purpose-built Elephant Trail at Werribee Open Range Zoo will be the gold standard in animal welfare, with
the herd able to roam across 21 hectares,” Zoos Victoria chief executive Jenny Gray said.
The fence will be built using repurposed construction materials donated by government agencies including VicTrack, Victoria’s Big Build, Bushfire Recovery Victoria and commercial companies from across Melbourne.
Repurposed rail track from Level Crossing Removal Project and elevator cable will be used to construct the perimeter fencing for the Elephant Trail and the Asian wild horse, American bison and Southern white rhinoceros’s facilities.
The repurposed timber will be used to construct animal enrichment structures, boardwalks and gates, and visitor amenities.
The new trail will become home for the herd currently living at Melbourne Zoo, which includes three pregnant females with calves expected to be born in the coming months, to be moved to Werribee in 2024.
“The expansion will provide a boost to jobs and economic activity during construction, and significant ongoing
benefits by attracting more local and international visitors. It’s a boon for the west,” Werribee MP Tim Pallas said.
