There were no candles, but the giant-size birthday bread loaf baked in the shape of the number 58 and garnished with apples and melons seemed to say "Happy Birthday" as well as anything else to Kali the elephant Saturday at Hogle Zoo.
Kali, at 58 the second-oldest Asian elephant in the country, shared her celebration with media and nearly 100 zoo supporters during a press conference in which the zoo unveiled new designs and improvements that will be made possible if Proposition No. 1 passes in the upcoming bond election on Nov. 4.
If the bond passes, it will generate $10.2 million to expand and renovate the elephant and feline sections of the zoo. Elephant Encounters, a project for which design has been under way since 1999, will increase the the elephants' habitat by nearly 400 percent and will include an African watering hole for the animals to swim in. The plans also include an activity and training area where guests can watch the skills and methods used to manage the animals along with a multipurpose building for education and special events.
Craig Dinsmore, executive director at the 72-year-old zoo, said he has been waiting a long time for this sort of initiative to go through even though the zoo, admittedly, is not in bad shape. It is one of only 215 zoos the country that is nationally accredited, exceeding the minimum standards. However, Dinsmore said, some of the facilities are old.
"We need more space — more natural areas and we need to modernize some of the facilities that are 10-20 years behind the time," said Dinsmore.
If the bond passes in November, construction will start in the spring of 2004 and will be completed in about a year. Elephant Encounters will cost around $6 million and the rest of the bond funds will go to converting the feline building into an Animal Ambassador Center where visitors can get up close and personal with a variety of species. The felines will be moved to an outdoor habitat that will be built into the natural hillside — all estimated between $4 million and $5 million.
Dinsmore is hopeful the bond will go through due to a supportive community whose involvement and patronage to the zoo has boosted attendance numbers 20 percent this year.
"The zoo has always been important to families — a good time that doesn't cost an arm and a leg," said Dinsmore. "We just want people to vote yes and help make it better."
E-mail: terickson@desnews.com