After years of construction, Safari Park’s massive new elephant habitat is opening

After more than three years of work, the Safari Park’s new elephant habitat is set to open to the public Thursday, providing visitors up-close viewing of the park’s herd of eight endangered African savannah elephants on a 13-acre site.

The habitat, named Denny Sanford Elephant Valley after its lead donor, is within the footprint of the old elephant area but with flatter topography and twice the amount of usable space for the park’s herd. Officials say the habitat provides an “immersive journey” for guests, designed to have them feel as though they are walking beside elephants on pathways and over a bridge that overlooks two habitat areas.

At spots, guests can be as near as 15 feet to the pachyderms — close enough to admire their luxuriously thick eyelashes.

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