Elephants from the air - The Woburn herd as you have never seen them

Follow our elephants on a journey into their world. Watch the never-before-seen footage from a new perspective of their daily walks as they roam the private woodland of the Woburn estate.

Many millions have visited Woburn Safari Park over the years, cherishing unforgettable memories of our animal residents. For many, there is one species that holds an extra special place in their hearts; the Asian elephants.

Visitors love to watch Woburn’s elephants interacting with each other and enjoying the diverse parkland.  The regular keeper talks at Elephant Meadow offer a great opportunity to learn about the species and the plight of their wild cousins, hearing of the keepers’ passion for their herd and conservation efforts to protect this species for future generations.

But now, with the help of keeper Matt Tilbury and modern technology, we can share an exciting new insight into the lives of our elephant herd as they explore, engage, and enjoy the expansive space in the Bedford estate woodland.

Herd on the move - follow the Asian elephants on their walk

Variety is the spice of life, and these incredibly intelligent animals need an interesting and enriching life. Keepers work hard to provide this by allowing the Asian elephant herd to spend their days engaging in a diverse range of activities, within a variety of complex and stimulating environments, (replicating the behaviour of their wild cousins).

Using a drone, which quietly hovered overhead, we were able to capture never before seen footage of them as they explored their home.  Woburn’s elephants are used to seeing native birds, such as the rare red kite flying over, as the park is home to a biodiverse range of native species.

Alongside their daily movements within their extensive paddocks, exercise for the elephants (and their keepers who accompany them!) comes in the form of a walk into the ‘Evergreens’; an area covering over 500 acres of private woodland.

Here Woburn’s elephants have the opportunity to roam at their own pace and can cover up to five miles, stopping to carry out a variety of natural behaviours such as grazing on natural browse, and dust bathing. The 500 acres even comes with a private swimming pool for the herd, in the form of Drakeloe Lake where, in the warmer months, their trunks become a snorkel as they take to the water for a refreshing dip.

Matt Tilbury, Elephant Keeper, said: “I have been privileged to be their keeper for close to a year now and have had the opportunity to witness our herd engaging and experiencing daily activities. But now to be able to share the joy and show our herd on the move from a birds-eye perspective is such a thrill. We hope by sharing this new perspective with those who cherish this species, we are continuing to share the importance of conservation and education.”