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Photos: Elephant Odyssey opening @ San Diego Zoo, 05/22/2009

Photos: Elephant Odyssey opening @ San Diego Zoo

As a member of the press (or as somebody else put it, “representative blogger”), I was invited to attend the VIP opening of the Elephant Odyssey at the San Diego Zoo. Of course, I was thrilled to get the invite, and even more thrilled to check out the zoo. I haven’t been there since last August when my brother was in town.

Before we even got to the elephants, we ran into a duck and a peacock wandering around the entrance to the zoo.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

Then we took the sky tram up to the Elephant Odyssey area.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

Before we even got to the elephants, we passed several large animal enclosures, as well as handlers with various birds.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

And then we got to the entrance of the Elephant Odyssey area, where there were more handlers with more birds, and some mock tar pits, with a display set up about the mammoth bones that were found in a downtown excavation.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

This lady informed us that everything on the table was a replica, “except for the poop,” which was real.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

The next area included the elephants, and this sloth, who hung out for awhile before disappearing into his tree.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

There were more animal handlers, this time with a baby alligator and a turtle.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

The new elephant enclosure are nothing short of gorgeous. The elephants have tons of room to roam around, in an area with pools of water and waterfalls to play in. They just looked so happy in their new enclosures.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

After a short presentation, we were free to roam further into the area, where we saw some capybaras, llamas, and a tapir…

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

…and, of course, more elephants.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

After that, it was all about the free food, drinks, and cake. In all honesty, we were a little freaked out by these servers that were actually wearing the tables of food, as well as crazy costumes. They were moving in a very animatronic way – jerky movements that made you unsure that it was actually a real person until the makeup. Until they talked to you.

San Diego Zoo's new Elephant Odyssey, 05/22/2009

But we hung out for awhile, enjoying the atmosphere and the freebies, until it was time to head to the Casbah for Eulogies.