New night-time footage captures elephants sleeping
By Jill Dando News
Have you ever pondered how elephants sleep?
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, a zoo and conservation charity in North Somerset, England unveils night-time footage capturing their elephants settling in for a peaceful night's rest.
The footage gives insight into the sleeping habits of 18-year-old Janu and 9-year-old Sutton.
The video shows Janu on his side, and Sutton, the younger elephant, getting up and trying to get Janu to play, as well as make room for him to lie as close as possible.
This playful and endearing interaction was a treat for zoo keepers at Noah’s Ark to see, while helping them develop their understanding of the behaviour of their elephants.
WATCH VIDEO:
Tom Lindley, Elephant Section Leader, sheds light on their elephant sleep habits, said, "Elephants sleep for around 4-6 hours a night on average, but they won't sleep for a whole night in one go like humans do.
“They tend to sleep for between 1-2 hours in one stint, then get up and move around a little, before going down for their next bout of sleep which is almost always on their opposite side.
This is because elephants are such large and heavy animals that if they spend too long lying on one side, it can cause pressure build up on their internal organs."
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Bristol has adopted an innovative approach to ensure the comfort and well-being of its elephants.
The zoo's Elephant Eden facility features deep sand mounds as sleeping platforms, alleviating pressure on the elephants' feet and allowing them to move freely.
"Our elephants have nocturnal access to the outdoors and can roam the sand and grass paddocks at their leisure," said zoo curator Chris Lindley, highlighting the facility's commitment to animal welfare.
The 20-acre Elephant Eden is home to four African bull elephants, including the recently welcomed 13-year-old Uli from Germany.
It plays a vital role in the European Endangered Species Programme for African elephants, providing an extensive environment for individual males to exhibit natural behaviors.
Visitors can observe the elephants at Elephant Eden and attend the daily educational keeper talk at 1:30 p.m.
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