A Japanese safari park found a way to entertain its elephant residents with a special luxury: a swimming pool.
The Fuji Safari Park built a pool 65 meters long (more than 200 feet) where the elephants spend much of their time exercising. Perhaps the safari park took a cue from the Zurich Zoo in Switzerland, which also has its own elephant aquarium.
Similarly to the people heading to see the handsome gorilla living in Japan’s Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, visitors are also encouraged to spend some time viewing these incredible swimming elephants through the transparent pool.
The elephants at the safari park are said to swim about three or four laps each day, increasing their massive appetite even more.
Like most mammals — aside from humans and apes who have to teach themselves the technique — elephants have a natural swimming ability. And don’t be fooled by their size, these large animals are excellent swimmers who can move at a fast pace and endure some very long distances.
Just look at the footage below of one elephant from the park swimming under water and using all four of his legs. It's clear he's enjoying every minute of it.
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A Japanese zoo has built a 65 metre-long pool for its elephants, allowing visitors to watch the animals swim
Posted by Sky News on Monday, July 13, 2015
