ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo

The three female Asian elephants explore their new outdoor enclosure at ARTIS. On the day they first set foot in in it, the gates opened and they flapped their ears as they stepped into their new living environment. This behaviour is a sign of positive excitement. The calf ran back into the indoor enclosure several times, closely followed by her mother and sister; elephants have a strong social bond. The enclosure contains a mud pool, a scratching tree and Amsterdam canal water to swim in. The water is deep enough for the elephants to swim.