Stuttgart Zoo and WWF have jointly founded “Team Elephant Stuttgart” – a very special species conservation cooperation. We support Wilhelma in expanding and equipping its enclosure and WWF in its fight against poaching and for habitat improvement in Thailand’s Kui Buri National Park.
Wilhelma not only has elephants as its heraldic animal, they have also been the visitors’ favourites since 1952, although there have never been any offspring. With the construction of the new enclosure, there should be enough space for a herd of up to 14 and there should also be a breeding area. The new elephant world will also switch to the “Protected Contact Method”, a more species-appropriate handling of the animals and at the same time more safety for the staff.
WE CLEAN THE SAND OF THE ELEPHANT ENCLOSURE
In October, we were again allowed to clean the sand for the two elephant ladies Zella and Pama. It is important for the pachyderms and their well-being that they have changing surfaces, both hard ground and the soft, aerated sand. This has a positive effect on their joints. Of course, we also use it to remove dirt that lies deeper in the sand, because Sandmaster offers real deep cleaning up to 40 cm. This applies to both indoor and outdoor enclosures.
Elephants weigh a considerable amount. In the zoos, however, they often stand for hours on smaller spots, which has a negative effect on the strain on their joints. If the sandy ground is too hard, the feet hurt, so similar to us humans.
Older animals in particular suffer massively from hardened floors and a freshly loosened sand can’t be compared to anything, in fact, after cleaning the sand using the #sandmaster process, animal keepers showed us how delighted the elephants are when they step on the floor, wellness for troubled elephant feet!
Thus, Sandmaster has not only conquered the playgrounds, jumping pits and beach volleyball courts, but also some zoos with large sand areas where elephants, bears or other large animals dwell and depend on soft grounds.
Rely on professionalism and reliability – with Sandmaster
Cleanliness, sustainability, environmental protection, competence and reliability are of utmost importance to Sandmaster GmbH. Through these virtues the company, which was founded over 30 years ago in Wendlingen am Neckar, has made a name for itself not only in Germany but also throughout Europe. The product portfolio of the service provider includes: Sand cleaning, synthetic floor cleaning, artificial turf cleaning, and various repair and maintenance work. In the field of sand cleaning Sandmaster has established itself as market leader for many years. This has been made possible by the technical as well as professional know-how, the cleaning machines developed and manufactured on site and the competence of motivated employees.
Longevity and care of your investments as well as safety for the athletes are the effects of professional high-pressure cleaning of running tracks, run-up tracks and multifunctional courts in the field of synthetic flooring as well as DFB small playing fields, hockey pitches, tennis courts in the field of artificial turf. Not to forget, of course, our high-quality sand cleaning in the area of playgrounds, diving pits, beach volleyball courts, beach sections and much more.
Our “Sandmaster process” is proven, tested and patented.
In everything we do, the environment always comes first for us: less water consumption for the same result thanks to technical developments, special filters to clean the washing water before it is discharged into the sewage system, less fuel consumption of the machines thanks to modern engine technology.
You can find more details directly on our homepage here or by our competent technical advisers.
Sandmaster has been cleaning sand for almost 40 years, so we have a lot of experience. In many years dozens of studies have been made about the “cleanliness” of sand. Our sand cleaning machines are regularly certified by TÜV, we periodically have our #sandmaster process certified and we have commissioned microbiological expertises several times.
The cleaning process (sand master process)
Our patented process is based on a special separation process of organic and inorganic particles with a diameter from approx. 5 mm (broken glass, leaves, cigarette butts, animal excrement, coins, toy parts and other waste). All the sand is taken up to a depth of 40 cm (depending on the depth of pouring) and thrown against a steep screen by means of a conveyor belt. In the process, fine-grained materials, i.e. the sand, pass through the sieve and fall back to the ground. All other parts scrape off the sieve and land in a special collection basket and are then disposed of.
Fall protection according to DIN EN 11 777
As hard and hard sand on playgrounds or in diving pits or volleyball fields is a bad protection against falls, this must be counteracted. Thanks to the sand master process, our machines achieve a continuous cleaning depth of up to 40 cm, which in turn means that the sand is circulated, loosened and aerated to the maximum depth. This also brings us to the important point of hygiene…
Evaluation of hygiene
The sand master process significantly reduces the number of aerobic, colony-forming units. However, it is crucial that the organic components (faeces, leaves) are selectively removed, as these have a germ density that is around ten thousand times higher than that of the surrounding sand. The depth of cleaning is also a decisive criterion. Coli bacteria grow especially in the lower sand layers. Organic material present there is no longer decomposed and rotten due to the lack of oxygen. Circulation to a depth of 30 to 40 cm aerates the sand in such a way that a stable biological balance is established after a short time. Disinfection of the sand by chemical means or thermal processes would destroy the natural balance and would have to be repeated every 14 days. Optionally, the product “Sandmaster KotStop” can be applied, which greatly reduces the contamination by animal excrements (on a purely biological basis).
A surface cleaning with a depth of for example only 10 cm is not comparable with the depth cleaning described here and is therefore only a “cosmetic” treatment.
Summary
In our report, the investigating institute concludes as follows: “…in the case of other sand cleaning devices, which only shake and grind the sand including impurities through horizontally mounted sieves, a lasting improvement in quality from a hygienic point of view is not to be expected. Even a cleaning depth that is too shallow will only bring about a slight improvement in quality. The Sandmaster process is a recycling of sand and saves the complete and also expensive sand replacement for years!
Professional cleaning of synthetic floors alone is not enough. Depending on the intensity of use and the age of the floor covering, smaller or larger damage spots in the form of cracks or bulges can occur. These are caused by environmental influences, wear and tear, vandalism or improper use. Before a complete court is overhauled or the surface is replaced, the floor can be repaired by our trained and competent staff.
Using a special cutting machine, the coating around the damaged area is cut open and removed. New granulate is mixed and manually applied with a spatula into the previously cut out areas, the compound is smoothed and only needs to dry.
After successful cleaning and repair, the course appears in a new light and provides unlimited recreational fun with cleanliness, safety and fall protection. Everything according to the Sandmaster method. #sandmasterprocess #trackcleaning #rubberfloorcleaning #partnersinsport