Published: August 26, 2008 11:36 pm      

Somerset Conservation Center: First elephant to arrive within a month

FAIRHOPE — The first bull elephant is expected to arrive at the International Conservation Center in Somerset County in less than a month, Pittsburgh Zoo officials said Tuesday.

Jackson, one of only four breeding African bulls in the country, will be transported from the zoo to the center nestled in the rolling hills of Allegheny Township.

On Tuesday, zoo officials provided a glimpse of the facility as crews poured concrete in the three-stall elephant barn.

“The only things left to do are pour the concrete floors and hang the doors,” said Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

Weeks later, after Jackson is acclimated, he will be joined by Kallie and Bette, two female elephants from the Philadelphia Zoo.

“We want to get Jackson in and settled for a couple of weeks, then bring the Philadelphia elephants in,” Baker said.

Breeding could begin in the spring, she added.

The 10,000-square-foot barn includes three stalls, heated floors and a small indoor exercise area. Outside, the barn is surrounded by a thick steel fence installed by Weimer Blacksmith of Somerset.

A larger, 44,000-square-foot barn with an expansive exercise area – capable of holding

20 elephants – is projected

to be erected in two to four years.

“We’ll have almost an acre under roof,” Baker said.

Despite the notoriously cold Somerset County winters, Baker said the elephants will adapt well to the snow.

“African elephants actually enjoy snow,” she said.

“They don’t mind the

cold, but they have to warm up during the day for about six hours.

“Ice is a bigger problem – if they fall and hurt themselves.”

Baker said the former Glen Savage ranch will give handlers an opportunity to walk the cows while providing trees for play.

“Here, we will be able to offer different areas for the animals to be elephants,” she said.

“They like to rub up against trees, knock them down.”

While the elephants will not be visible from the road, Baker said the zoo intends to host two community days and will offer summer camps for children and adults.

“I think this is an asset for Somerset County,” said

state Rep. Bob Bastian,

R-Somerset, a retired veterinarian who once treated an elephant that was passing through with a circus.

“We’re going to have people coming out to see the elephants. They’re going to spend money in the county.

“It’s fantastic.”