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THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL
TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
JOHN CONROY - 2006 Churchill Fellow
To study elephant husbandry, training, breeding and calf-rearing
techniques which can be applied for use at Perth Zoo and other
elephant holding facilities in the Australian region.
I understand the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on the
internet or both, and consent to such publication.
I indemnify the Churchill trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising
out of any claim made against the Trust in respect or arising out of the publication of
any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website for access
over the internet.
I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of
any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final
Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach
of confidence, contempt of court, passing-off of contravention of any other private
right or of any law.
Signed ……………………………................ Dated ……………………..
2
THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL
TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
JOHN CONROY - 2006 Churchill Fellow
Whenever you observe an [elephant] closely you feel as if a human being sitting
inside were making fun of you. Elias Canetti.
A study of elephant husbandry, training, breeding and calf-rearing
techniques which can be applied for use at Perth Zoo and other elephant
holding facilities in the Australian region.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Precis ……………………………………………………………………………… 04
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………….. 06
Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………….. 07
Fellowship Programme
1. Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, United Kingdom ………………………………. 08
2. Dublin Zoo, Republic of Ireland …………………………………………….. 10
3. Toronto Zoo, Ontario, Canada ………………………………………………..13
4. Lion Safari Park, Ontario, Canada …………………………………………... 16
5. Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, NY, USA ……………………………….. 20
6. Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana, USA ……………………………………………. .24
7. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Orlando, Florida, USA …………………………27
8. San Diego Wild Animal Park, California, USA …………………………….. 30
9. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, California, USA ……………………………. 34
Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………38
Recommendations ………………………………………………………..................39
Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………...40
PRECIS
With their huge size, longevity, unique anatomy, intelligence and strong social bonds
elephants have always inspired awe and wonder in human beings.
The earliest relatives of present day elephants (the Proboscidea) lived in the Eocene
epoch some 55 million years ago. Recent estimates place the total number of
proboscidean species and subspecies over this period to be approximately 180.These
animals ranged in size from 4 meters at the shoulder down to the size of a large dog.
Of these, only three species are living today. (Shoshani, J. 2006, pp. 4-10)
Elephants have had a connection with people since the dawn of human history. Stone
Age hunters relied on Mammoths and Mastodons for food and clothing, and used
there skin and tusks to build shelters. Elephants featured prominently in Neolithic
rock art in Europe and Africa, and there is evidence on stone artifacts from present
day Pakistan dating from 4,500 years ago of their captivity and training. (Csuti, B.
2006, p. 15) Elephants have since been used and abused by humans in building,
logging, war and many other tasks.
The connection between elephants and humans continues to the present day,
especially in countries like Thailand where there are approximately twice as many
domesticated elephants as there are wild elephants. (Lair, R.C. 1997)
Unfortunately, it is our expanding human population and the illegal ivory trade which
now put elephants at risk.
Within recent recorded history the Asian elephant, Elephas maximus, had a range
which extended almost half-way around the world: from the Middle East through
Afghanistan, India, China and throughout South East Asia. Current estimates of wild
Asian elephants put there number at 35,000. This population is fragmented with
relatively small groups which presents problems with genetic diversity and therefore
the overall survival of the species.
Habitat destruction, translocations and the culling of surplus populations has resulted
in some elephants being housed in zoos throughout the world. ??? I don’t understand
this paragraph
In a perfect world, elephants would be free to roam at will in their natural habitat. But
with the exception of a few pockets of preserved natural habitat, human expansion
makes this ideal scenario increasingly a thing of the past.
However, one of the most effective ways to communicate the conservation message
about the plight of endangered elephants to the community is through elephants
themselves. A healthy, happy, successfully breeding herd of domesticated elephants
are the most effective ambassadors for their endangered wild counterparts. Such a
group speaks volumes about our need to help preserve this amazingly complex,
sensitive, intelligent and charismatic mega-fauna.
This study project took place in May and June 2007 and aimed to achieve a number of
specific objectives:
• To make direct personal contact with managers in a number of elephant
holding facilities recognized for their excellence and experience in elephant
husbandry and breeding and learn from the positive aspects of their culture
and techniques.
• To study elephant husbandry, training, breeding and calf-rearing techniques
which can be applied for use at Perth Zoo and other Australasian facilities
wishing to further develop their elephant management programs.
• To utilise newly gained knowledge and experience to make a contribution
towards maintaining the highest standards of elephant husbandry in the
Australian region.
This Report aims to give an account of the opportunity presented to me by the
Churchill Trust to make contact with specialists in the field of elephant care, and the
knowledge and experience I gained from this.
Note there is often passionate debate in the elephant management fraternity about the
relative merits of different systems of elephant handling.
While some elephant holding facilities use a combination of different systems for
individual elephants, there are essentially three systems of elephant management:
1. A no contact system (NC) where elephant care personnel have minimal or
absolutely no hands-on contact with the elephants.
2. Protected contact (PC) where handlers never enter the elephant’s habitat and
the elephant’s husbandry needs (bathing; foot care; and veterinary care, etc)
are met by keepers working behind safety barriers.
3. Free contact (FC) has been the traditional method of elephant handling in
circuses and zoos, and involves direct, hands-on contact with the elephants.
Some elephant holding facilities (such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom) use a flexible
combination of management strategies in order to achieve the best possible outcome
for individual elephants.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to express my appreciation to those I met on this study-tour who have so
generously shared their experience and knowledge with me. It was a pleasure and a
privilege to have been made welcome at their elephant facilities. I will always
remember their generosity and hospitality. I want to assure these colleagues that what
I gained from their experience and expertise will be put to good use in my aim to
contribute towards maintaining the highest possible standards of care for elephants.
This study tour of elephant holding facilities in United Kingdom, Canada, and the
United States of America would not have been possible without:
• The financial assistance provided by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
of Australia.
• The encouragement and practical advice from Doug Cochran, my
Fellowship Mentor, and the extended network of Churchill Fellows.
• The support and encouragement of the management and my colleagues at
Perth Zoo, Western Australia. In particular I want to thank Perth Zoo CEO,
Susan Hunt, for her support; Colin Hyde (who first suggested I apply for a
Churchill Fellowship); Trueman Faulkner and Michelle Rouffignac for their
invaluable guidance; and, my team mates on the Elephant Section: Steve
Edmunds, Claire Stratford, Kirsty Carey, Daniel Bennett and Ben Morley.
• Wayne Jackson, “The Wandering Elephant Man” from Ontario, Canada, for
providing valuable preparatory information.
• I was very fortunate to have the full support of my family, Mary, Tom and
Rachel, whilst undertaking this study.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
John Conroy
Supervising Keeper, Elephants Email:
john.conroy@perthzoo.wa.gov.au
Perth Zoo
Labouchere Road Ph: 08 94740349
South Perth Mob: 0421097566
Western Australia 6151
This study project took place in May and June 2007. The purpose of the study was to
make direct personal contact with managers in a number of elephant holding facilities
recognized for their excellence and experience in elephant husbandry and breeding. I
was able to examine and experience elephant husbandry, training, breeding and calfrearing techniques at first-hand.
Highlights •
Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, UK: Elephant handling and calf rearing techniques.
• Dublin Zoo, Republic of Ireland: Establishment of new elephant facilities and programme.
• Toronto Zoo, Canada: Environmental enrichment programme.
• African Lion Safari, Canada: Asian elephant breeding.
• Rosamond Gifford Zoo, USA: Elephant husbandry.
• Indianapolis Zoo, USA: Elephant calf management.
• Disney Animal Kingdom, USA: Elephant facility design.
• San Diego Wild Animal Park, USA: Elephant training and management in a protected contact facility.
• Six Flags marine World, USA: Elephant presentations for Education and Entertainment.
Implementation and Dissemination The objective of the Fellowship study was to return to Australia with increased knowledge and skills and apply these at Perth Zoo and other Australasian facilities wishing to further develop their elephant management programs. Through diverse media my aim is to utilize my newly acquired expertise to: • Help make a contribution towards maintaining the highest standards of elephant husbandry in the Australian region. • Help achieve one of the major goals of elephant facilities in the Australasian region: the first birth of an elephant as part of a breeding program. • Make a contribution to elephant conservation by raising public awareness about the threat to Asian elephants in the wild. My sincere appreciation goes to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia for making possible this study tour and thereby enabling me to make a contribution to the welfare of elephants in general, and in particularly, the welfare of the endangered Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Whipsnade Zoo Bedfordshire, England
Background: Whipsnade Zoo is approximately 30 miles north of London, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, and is one of the five operating divisions of the Zoological Society of London which was founded in 1826 by Sir Stamford Raffles. In the early twentieth century it became evident that there was a need to keep and study large animals in more natural surroundings. In 1926, 600 acres of farming country near Whipsnade Village was purchased and in 1931 Whipsnade Wild Animal Park opened as the world’s first open-range zoological park.
Elephants: Whipsnade currently holds one mature bull, Emmett, who was born in 1991 at Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, USA and arrived at Whipsnade in 1997; five mature females, Lucha (b.1982); Kaylee (b. 1982); Azizah (b. 1983); Karishma (b. 1998); Mya (b. 1982); and two young calves - a male Euan, (b. Whipsnade 2006 to Emmett and Azizah), and a female LeeLee (b. Whipsnade January 2007 to Emmett and Kaylee). The bull Emmet is managed in protected contact and the cows and young bull in free contact. Whipsnade had an elephant birth in January 2007 (Lee Lee), and Karishma is expecting the birth of a calf in January 2008.
Focus of the Visit: Elephant Handling and Calf-Rearing Techniques
This visit provided the opportunity to work with Whipsnade’s Elephant Manager, Lee Sambrook, and his team for approximately two weeks. Due to the welcome I received from the Whipsnade elephant team, I was fortunate to be able to achieve a number of objectives. Lee is a former Supervisor of the Elephant Section at Perth Zoo and was closely involved in the training of Perth Zoo’s elephants when they were young. I was able to discuss general elephant management issues and more specific issues relating to Perth Zoo’s elephant programme with Lee and his team, and learn from their experience and expertise. The visit enabled me to gain insight into effective and safe methods of handling adult elephants, recently born calves and elephants with histories of aggression towards handlers. With the recent births of two elephants (Bets in 2007 and Toomai in 2004) at Whipsnade Zoo, this visit provided a unique opportunity to observe and participate in the early stages of training for young elephants.
Dublin Zoo Republic of Ireland
Background: Since its inception in 1831 with animals supplied by London Zoo, Dublin Zoo has seen some enormous changes. In 2006 the Zoo embarked on the establishment of a new habitat for a new herd of 3 female Asian elephants from Rotterdam Zoo. The new elephant house was completed in October 2006 and will be followed by the completion of Kaziranga Forest Trail habitat to be completed in June 2007. These developments provide the highest standard of elephant facilities and a naturalistic new visitor experience. Dublin Zoo is committed to playing a greater role in the European breeding programme for Asian elephants. This had not been possible with their two resident elephants Judy and Kirsty because they were too old to reproduce. However, Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands recently offered a breeding group of elephants to Dublin Zoo and the two post-reproductive females, Judy and Kirsty, were moved to Neunkirchen Zoo, Germany, in 2005 to form a non-breeding herd with the Zoo’s lone female. With the development of the new elephant habitat, mature female elephants Bernhardine and Jasmine, and Jasmine’s calf Anak, arrived from Rotterdam Zoo. This group was to form the basis of Dublin Zoo’s elephant breeding, with plans to bring in a bull elephant when the cows had settled into their new surroundings.
Elephants: Dublin Zoo holds 4 female Asian elephants: Bernhardine (23 yrs); Jasmine (16 yrs); Anak (4 yrs - Jasmine’s calf); and, Bernhardine’s baby born May 2007 who is, as yet, unnamed. Jasmine is expecting her second baby in 2008. All three cows are cared for in protected contact.
Focus of the Visit: Establishment of a New Elephant Programme and Facilities
The visit to Dublin Zoo provided a number of unique opportunities:
• To see, at first hand, the newly completed elephant house and Kaziranga Forest Trail habitat.
• To observe methods of training as elephant handlers made the transition from free contact to protected contact.
The design of the new state of the art elephant house at Dublin Zoo is based on the Zoo’s philosophy of maintaining the elephant family unit. The starting point for the Zoo design team was how elephants live in the wild and their essential requirements rather than prioritizing staff and visitor convenience. For example, many elephant holding facilities house their elephants in separate stalls overnight. The view at Dublin Zoo is that this is a practice which is alien to the way elephants behave in the wild. In the open plan interior of Dublin Zoo’s new elephant house, elephants interact with each other at will and move about unhindered. The elephants also have access to their outside habitat overnight and the floor of the barn consists of a 2 meter deep layer of sand rather than the more traditional hard surfaces such as concrete and bitumen. The opportunity to examine the design of the “working wall” (protected contact fencing) of the new construction and see this in action was valuable. Since keepers do not enter the enclosure with the elephants under the protected contact system, elephants are trained to present themselves to the carers through the fence for their daily check-ups, foot manicuring, baths and any veterinary treatments they may need. The incentive for their cooperation in these procedures is small food treats and encouragement from the carers. The new barn also had a number of imaginatively designed environmental enrichment features. These included uneven surfaces on walls that enable the elephants to scratch their hides as they would do in the wild. There is an overhead protrusion on the wall 12 that serves as a back-scratcher. Holes at different levels of a feeding wall, with access to timed automatic feeders, enable the elephants to forage for food over extended periods of time. Dublin Zoo has opted for the protected contact system because it believes this provides the safest method of elephant training for staff and does not interrupt the elephant family unit.
Toronto Zoo Ontario, Canada
Background: Toronto Zoo is Canada’s premier zoo, recognised for its interactive education and conservation activities. Covering an area of 287 hectares, it is one of the largest zoos in the world. The Zoo was opened to the public in 1974 and the elephant house was opened in 1983.
Elephants: Toronto Zoo holds six female African elephants: Tara (b. 1969); Tessa (b. 1969); Tequila (b. 1970); Toka (b. 1970); Iringa (b. 1969); and, Thika (b. 1980). All six cows are managed in protected contact. Toronto has had a number of successful elephant births.
Focus of Visit: Environmental Enrichment Programme
Wild elephants forage very widely for food. They may spend up to 18 to 20 hours per day on their feet and have been known to walk up to 60 kilometers a day in search of food. In captivity, the opportunities for stimulation from searching for food and walking such distances are not available. Therefore, an important part of maintaining the physical and mental well being of captive elephants is to provide environmental enrichment. I met Christ Dulong at the Elephant Managers Association (EMA) conference in Albuquerque in October 2006 and was impressed by the imaginative range of the environmental enrichment programme at Toronto Zoo. Some of the environmental enrichment devices included remote control facilities for spacing enrichment throughout the day for elephants in protected contact. The enrichment devices on the elephant section at Toronto Zoo are many and varied and a credit to the ingenuity of the elephant keepers. The keepers have a large storage area containing many discarded items such as barrels and containers which are modified for use by the elephants. There are other commercially available items such as feeding balls and bungee ropes etc.
African Lion Safari Ontario, Canada
Background: African Lion Safari Park is located near Cambridge, Ontario, Canada - about a one and-a-half hour drive from Toronto. The Park is a privately-run organization holding a variety of animals including elephants, birds, rhinos, primates and big cats. African Lion Safari’s mission is to “provide an environment for self-sustaining populations of declining wildlife species.” African Lion Safari houses over 1,000 exotic birds and animals, comprising 132 different species. The Safari has successfully bred 20 species that are considered to be endangered and more than 30 that are listed as threatened. African Lion Safari has one of the world’s most successful Asian elephant breeding facilities with 11 elephants born at the Park since 1991. The elephant breeding programme has achieved a 100% success rate with elephant births. Many of the Park’s breeding programmes have been recognized by leading zoological groups including the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA). African Lion Safari is also a supporter and participant in the International Species Survival Plan (ISSP) for the Asian elephant.
Elephants: The African Lion Safari herd consists of 15 Asian elephants of varied ages and sexes ranging from approximately one year old to 47 years old. Females: Kitty (b. 1965, Thailand, calves: 4 last calf Emily); Lily (b. 1985, calves: Piccolo, Albert and Logan); Natasha (b. 1994, calves: Opal); Targa (b. 1983, calves: 2 + Mali); Dame (b. 1970 Asia); Maggy (“Mug”) (b. 1968 Burma); Jenny (b. 1967 Thailand); Piccolo (b. 1994 ALS, AI April 07); Mali (b. 1997 Syracuse, pregnant since November 06). Males: Rex (b. 1968 Asia); George (b. 1999 ALS); Johnson (b. 2001 ALS). Calves: Logan (male b. 13/4/06 ALS); Opal (female b. 4/11/05 ALS); Emily (female b. 23/4/06). The bull, Rex, is managed in protected contact and the cows and calves in free contact.
Focus of Visit: Asian Elephant Breeding
The 100% success rate of African Lion Safari’s breeding programme is an extraordinary international achievement in captive Asian elephant breeding. Although some of these births did involve complications (such as premature birth and umbilical hernia) these problems were overcome by organisational commitment, staff dedication and expert veterinary care. Apart from the expertise and dedication of the elephant staff, a large part of the breeding success at African Lion Safari is due to the programme of daily exercise for the elephants. All the elephants are working animals and are used in various activities ranging from shows and elephant rides, to public appearances and film work. The staff and elephants work a minimum of - a very busy - ten-hour day in the summer season. The elephants’ day starts with a walk down to the campground lake where they have two-hours of free time to browse and swim. This is followed by three elephant shows; elephant rides; two public swims in one of the Park lakes; training and bath sessions; reproductive research work; and more. Before being “put to bed” by their trainers, the Safari elephants are walked back to the campground lake in the evening to finish their day grazing on the lush grass; browsing amongst the trees; swimming; and playing. This busy daily schedule (interspersed with periodic free time for the elephants to roam and browse in the Safari’s extensive woodlands) keeps the elephants physically fit and mentally stimulated with few foot problems (typical of more sedentary captive elephants). In many respects, the daily activity cycle for the elephants at African Lion Safari is similar to that of the Asian elephant in the wild. In their natural habitat, elephants are on the move for up to eighteen hours a day.
For some, the concept of using elephants in shows and circuses is a controversial issue. However, the question needs to be asked: Is “working” (whatever form this takes) good for the elephants? To achieve success with elephant births, for example, it is essential that the pregnant female is in excellent physical condition: To this end [successful elephant births], a daily exercise regimen should be instituted, including long walks and behaviors that help to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the legs and abdomen and increase stamina. Anecdotal reports indicate that an extremely low percentage of female elephants in an active environment – giving rides, demonstrations, or walking daily – have long labors or experience dystocias. On the other hand, females allowed to gain an excessive amount of weight with inadequate exercise appear to have long labors often resulting in stillbirths and in the death of the calf and/or mother. (Deborah Olsen [ed.] Elephant Husbandry Resource Guide, pp 135-6,) The two week visit to African Lion Safari enabled me to learn from a team of dedicated, hard-working, elephant trainers and their support staff who are internationally recognized for their outstanding success with Asian elephant breeding. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to observe, listen to and absorb from this highly professional team at African Lion Safari. I intend to apply this newly acquired experience to maintaining the highest standards of elephant care at Perth Zoo.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo New York State, USA
Background: The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is located at Burnett Park in Syracuse, New York state. The zoo has housed Asian elephants since 1972. The zoo has had a very successful Asian elephant breeding record and has held elephants from other facilities for breeding. The zoo at Burnet Park first opened in 1914 and was owned and operated by the Syracuse Department of Works and Recreation. The zoo had doubled in size by 1933 with the construction of stone exhibits for bears, ponds for water birds and primate exhibits. With the zoo's gradual decline due to lack of financial support, control was transferred to Onondaga County in 1979. A study by County Parks staff produced a forty page renovation plan for the zoo which involved shutting down the old zoo and constructing another. The plan was approved by the Onondaga County legislature in 1981. The old zoo was closed in 1982 and the $13 million project ($10 million of which was provided by the county and the rest by the Friends of the Burnet Park Zoo) began in 1983. The zoo reopened in 1986 and received accreditation from the American Zoos Association (AZA) the following year. The zoo initiated a capital campaign in 1998 to fund a new conservation and education centre. Following a $2 million endowment by the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation in 1999, the zoo was renamed the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. The next several years saw the introduction of the zoo's first lion cubs in over a decade, as well as the creation of a tiger trail featuring a family of Amur tigers, a social animal exhibit, and a penguin exhibit, which was completed in 2005.
Elephants: The Zoo currently holds 1.3 may need to explain 1.3 Asian elephants. The bull, Indi (34 yrs), is managed in protected contact and the females in free contact. Indi has sired ten calves. The females are Siri (40 yrs), Romani (31 yrs), and Kirina (12 yrs – Romani’s daughter). Two of the Zoo’s females, Targa and Mali, are on breeding loan to African Lion Safari. Since starting breeding in 1990, Rosamond Gifford Zoo has produced five Asian elephant calves.
Focus of Visit: general Elephant Husbandry
Rosamond Gifford Zoo is known as one of the finest American zoos to breed and house Asian elephants. The mission of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is to conserve, exhibit, and interpret a living collection in order to promote public recreation, understanding of the relationship between animals and people, and action to sustain the environment we share. More specifically, there are four essential aims of the elephant management team: 1. To provide the elephants with an environment that is physiologically and socially fulfilling. 2. To increase visitors’, the scientific community’s, and our own knowledge and understanding of elephants. 3. To support breeding programmes in order to contribute to a self-sustaining captive population. 4. To promote the understanding of conservation issues facing wild elephant populations and to encourage individuals to take action.
The elephant team at Rosamond Gifford Zoo succeed in achieving these objectives in a number of ways. Their breeding record and elephant husbandry standards are world renowned and the handlers are actively involved in the educational and conservation work of the American Zoos Association (AZA). The public talks of the elephant staff are professional and contain a very articulate conservation message. One of the very distinctive elements of this elephant programme is summed-up in the motto of the elephant handlers at Rosamond Gifford Zoo: “Bringing you close enough to care.” “Fence time”, as the handlers call it, occurs on a number of occasions throughout the day and involves bringing the elephants to zoo visitors. Visitors then have an opportunity to touch the elephants in a safe environment and ask questions of the handlers. This activity provides visitors to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo with a unique opportunity to get close to an elephant and directly experience the awe and wonder those of us who work with elephants experience on a daily basis.
Indianapolis Zoo Indiana, USA
Background: The Indianapolis Zoo is situated in the White River State Park in the downtown area of Indianapolis, Indiana, and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2004. The Zoo has grown into a world-class zoo and has been involved in elephant reproduction research for over a decade. The mission of the Indianapolis Zoological society, Inc. is to “provide recreational learning experiences for the citizens of Indiana through the exhibition and presentation of elements of natural environments in a way to foster a sense of discovery, stewardship and the need to preserve the earth’s plants and animals.”
Elephants: Indianapolis Zoo currently houses 3.5 African elephants: an adult bull, Maclean (25 yrs on breeding loan from Disney Animal Kingdom); a juvenile bull, Ajani (6 yrs); and a one-year old male, Kadar. The five females are Sophi 39, Kubwa 31, Tombi 30, Ivory 25, Zahara 10 months (Ivory’s calf), Ajani 6 (Ivory’s calf) and Kedar 1 (Kubwa’s calf). The Zoo has had a total of four births and manages three of its adult cows and two calves in free contact. The adult bull, Maclean, and Ajani, and one cow, Ivory, are handled in protected contact.
Focus of Visit: Elephant Calf Management
The Indianapolis Zoo manages its elephants on both free contact and protected contact. The appropriate management style for each individual animal is determined in order to maximize the elephant’s psychological, physiological and social fulfillment. The elephant management philosophy of the Indianapolis Zoo is based upon an understanding of elephant behaviour in the wild. Female elephants and their sub-adult offspring live in a matriarchal society in which a dominant female leads the herd by providing direction and maintaining order. The matriarch and older herd members provide instruction to younger elephants in communication, sources of food and water, migratory routes and other information necessary for survival. By the very nature of their social nature, and their essential need for instruction and direction, elephants adjust well to captivity. In a captive situation, humans take on the role of the matriarch and provide the necessary instruction and direction to ensure the well being of the elephants. In August 2000 the Zoo accomplished the world’s first successful artificial insemination of an African elephant with the birth of a female calf, Amali. This was followed with the birth of a bull calf, Ajani, in 2001, and a female calf, Zahara, in 2006. Arjani, a six year old bull elephant, was the second African elephant in the world to be born as a result of artificial insemination. As Ajani developed from a 100 kilogram baby at birth to a 3.5 tonne six year old, his management evolved from free contact towards a protected contact system of management. This visit gave me the opportunity to talk with Indianapolis Zoo elephant staff about general elephant management - training, veterinary care, reproductive research and husbandry - and more specifically, about the techniques they used in Ajani’s transition from free contact to protected contact.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Orlando, Florida, USA
Background: Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, had its origins when the Disney Corporation purchased 25,000 acres of land in the mid 1960’s. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, was opened in 1998 themed around animal conservation. The park is the largest in the world covering approximately 500 acres. Disney’s Animal Kingdom (DAK) has state of the art elephant holding and exhibit facilities. The park holds a total of three male and eight female African elephants.
Elephants: Disney’s Animal Kingdom currently holds 13 African elephants. There are three adult bulls: Willy (b. 1979), Bulwayi (b. 1981) and, Maclean “Mackie” (b. 1998) who is on breeding loan to Indianapolis Zoo. There is one bull calf, Tufani (b. 2003), and nine cows: Rafiki “Fiki” (b. 1977), Thandi (b. 1981), Moyo (b. 1981), Petunia (b. 1973), Robin (b. 1970), Vasha (b. 1986), Donna (b. 1988), Nadirah (b. 2005) and Kianga (b. 2004 @ DAK).
Focus of Visit: Elephant Facility Design
DAK’s elephant holding facility has been designed to make possible a great deal of flexibility in management and housing of elephants. With a number of display and off display holding yards, elephants can be grouped in a number of social combinations. This makes it possible to more effectively meet the needs of the elephants. Disney’s Animal Kingdom facility is essentially a protected contact (PC) system. The elephants are typically worked through a protective barrier such as steel bollards in the barn or horizontal barriers in the holding yards. Because the elephants are working in PC, they are not spatially confined and are free to move away from the work area if they choose.
In certain situations, however, elephants are handled in a “modified free contact” system. In this system, the trainer and elephant share the same space, with the elephant restrained by two or more leg tethers. This modified system enables a variety of husbandry and veterinary procedures to be performed (e.g., baths, ultrasound and blood draws etc.). Some of the elephants (calves and particular adults) are occasionally handled in FC. The use of multiple management systems for the elephants at DAK provides the elephant handlers with a great deal of flexibility in meeting the specific husbandry requirements of each individual elephant. Calf training takes place in both PC and FC simultaneously. This approach provides a greater degree of flexibility and more available options for meeting a variety of husbandry needs of the individual elephants.
The outdoor facilities at DAK consist of three different display areas. The main display is 3.5 acres in size and serves as the main display for the matriarchal herd. The other two display areas are each about an acre in size and are used for rotating the two adult bulls through the enclosures. The naturalistic enclosures are very large and contain deep pools for bathing, mud wallows, sand for dusting, extensive grassed areas for grazing, large rocks for scratching and mature trees to provide shade. In total, the DAK elephant display areas are approximately seven acres. There are also a number of holding yards which are typically used as staging areas before the elephants go out on display.
The indoor facilities consist of a spacious and well-ventilated barn with 11 individual stalls. Barriers between the stalls are formed by vertical bollards. Two stalls are separate from the others and are used for the bulls. One of the 11 stalls is twice as large as the others and is used as a maternity stall (10m X 10m). The standard stalls are 5m X 8.5m, and the bull stalls are 7m X 10m. This visit to the DAK elephant barn provided an opportunity to acquire some very useful information about facility design which can be applied to Perth Zoo’s multimillion dollar elephant habitat development.
San Diego Wild Animal Park California, USA
Background: The Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in 1916 and is a not-for-profit organization that operates the San Diego Zoo, the department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES) and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The Wild Animal Park is a large wildlife sanctuary located in the San Pasqual Valley 56 kilometers north of the city of San Diego. The Park was established in 1972 and currently holds more than 3,500 animals representing more than 400 different species.
Elephants: The Wild Animal Park holds 1.4 Asian and 3.7 African elephants. Asians elephants: • Bull: Ranchipur (40 yrs). • Females: Sunita (58); Cha Cha (40); Mary (43); and, Cookie (53). Africans elephants: • Bull: Mabhulane (17 yrs). • Females: Swazi (17 yrs); Umngani (17 yrs); Umoya (16 yrs); Litsemba (17 yrs); Lungili (16 yrs); Ndlulamitsi (17 yrs). • Calves: Impunga (male, 2 months old); Khosi (female, 8 months old); Vus’musi (male, 3.5 years old).
Focus of Visit: Elephant Training in Protected Contact
In 1987 the San Diego Wild Animal Park was the pioneer of “Protected Contact” training for elephants. This approach to training has been used to enable the highest possible standard of care to be given to those elephants which could not be approached by handlers directly due to their unpredictability. Protected contact training has provided elephant handlers with a means of providing their elephants with the highest standards of care and attention even when those elephants have been difficult to handle, dangerous to staff and, in some cases, responsible for killing their handlers. In the early to mid 1990’s the Park made the transition from free contact to protected contact. At that time, the official management style of the African and Asian elephants was protected contact. However, the Animal Care Manager, Jeff Andrews, said the system was really a hybrid between protected contact and free contact. Jeff Andrews describes the current approach to elephant training at the Park as Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT). This is a system which strictly adheres to the use of positive reinforcement and trust as the basis of training elephants. There is no negative reinforcement, punishment or dominance (social, emotional or physical) used in the training of the elephants - and the handlers never use the word “no” with the elephants. There is no traditional routine to the day and the elephants are bathed only when they need to be. The emphasis is on keeping the elephants together in herds throughout the day and night except when they are being individually trained.
The San Diego Wild Animal Park has had a number of recent African elephant births and more births are expected soon. Elephant births are allowed to occur outside in the presence of the other members of the herd. Birth intervention protocols are in place in case of an emergency but these are used as a last resort. The emphasis of this elephant management style is to “let elephants be elephants”. This visit to the elephant programme at San Diego Wild Animal Park proved to be an extremely valuable experience. I had the opportunity to witness the highest standards of elephant husbandry and training techniques in a protected contact management context. The elephant trainers clearly have a very close, respectful and affectionate relationship with their elephants whilst, at the same time, gaining a high degree of behavioral compliance.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Vallejo, California, USA
Background Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is a combination of wild-life park, oceanarium and theme park at Vallejo, in the San Francisco Bay area, California. The park is home to more than 3,000 animals from butterflies to elephants. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom aims to bring people and animals close together.
Discovery Kingdom has a number of specialized presentations with elephants which aim to communicate to visitors the strength, agility and intelligence of elephants 35 In October 2006 Six Flags Discovery Kingdom received American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) accreditation in recognition of their commitment to raising North American industry standards in animal care, professionalism, ethics, conservation and education.
Elephants Discovery Kingdom has both African and Asian elephants managed in a free contact system. All the elephants are female. Asian elephants: Taj (67 years old); Liz (b. 1964); and, Bertie Mae (b. 1980). African elephants: Tava (b. 1978); Valerie (b. 1982); Joyce (b. 1983); and, Malika (b. 1987)
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo is currently involved in a number of conservation, research and breeding projects which aim to increase our understanding of elephant husbandry and reproduction. Focus of Visit: Elephant Presentations for Education and Entertainment Whilst the concept of using elephants in shows and circuses is a controversial issue for some, the question needs to be asked: “Is it good for the elephants?” To achieve success with elephant births, for example, it is essential that the female is in excellent physical condition. Elephant exercise routines which include long walks and behaviors that help to stretch and strengthen the muscles and increase stamina not only provide physical but also mental stimulation. It follows that elephants that are physically fit and mentally stimulated and alert are happier, healthier elephants.
In their natural habitat, elephants are physiologically and mentally predisposed to work for their survival. It can be argued that giving rides to zoo patrons, performing 36 in demonstrations and daily walking around the zoo grounds, and beyond, is a form of “working”. The elephant team at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom describe their mission in following way: The objective of our Elephant Encounter program is to care for the elephants by providing both physical and mental exercise. The rides and shows encourage such exercise, as well as educating and entertaining park guest. With this program we can maintain tractable elephants. Therefore, routine medical procedures can be conducted without the use of tranquilizers or other potentially dangerous methods.
The better trained an elephant is, the more freedom it can enjoy. The central focus of this visit is on elephant presentations as an educational and entertainment vehicle for spreading the conservation message about elephants. One of the benefits of consistently working elephants through shows and related activities is that this increases the level of control handlers have over the elephants. For example, this makes it possible for handlers to walk elephants through crowds of patrons in relative safety, and enables facilities such as Six Flags to meet their commitment to conservation education by bringing elephants and people into close contact. And what better way to inspire a commitment to elephant welfare and conservation in people - especially in the young?
I was particularly interested during this visit to observe how elephants/handlers/patrons interact safely during presentation and contact activities and how these techniques might be applied in zoos and animal parks to increase elephant and visitor contact.
Staff Acknowledgements My thanks to Elephant Encounter Supervisor, Steve Johnson and Assistant Supervisor, Patrick Chappel for providing the transport and inviting me into their barn to work with the elephant team at Six Flags. Thanks also to Patrick, Jason, Andrew, Nick and Rickie. I sincerely appreciated the opportunity to work with the Elephant Encounter team at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, learn from their experience and expertise, and observe their excellent rapport with Elephant Encounter patrons.
CONCLUSION T
The aim in this study was to acquire the knowledge, experience and expertise that would help make a contribution towards maintaining high standards of elephant management and breeding in Australia and, thereby, contribute to the conservation of the critically endangered Asian elephant,
Elephas maximus. To do this it was necessary for me to travel overseas because: • Elephant management and breeding is a much more complex area of expertise than many people realise.
• In Australia and New Zealand there are very few elephants; few institutions holding elephants; and, in 2006, no institution, other than Perth Zoo, was engaged in an elephant breeding programme.
• There are a number of international institutions recognised for their excellence in elephant management and a high level of success in elephant breeding and calf rearing. This project made possible the establishment of direct personal contact with experts at internationally recognized elephant holding facilities and the opportunity to learn from what they do. My specific areas of focus in this study were:
• Making contact with elephant teams, working with them and learning from the positive aspects of their culture and techniques.
• Elephant training techniques. The most enlightened approach to training elephants these days is focused on “positive reinforcement”. Positive reinforcement encourages mutual respect between elephant and handler. This enables keepers to closely interact with the elephants to provide their daily husbandry requirements.
• Elephant facility design. Currently, elephant facilities in the Australian region are in the process of designing and constructing elephant exhibits and facilities. My study has provided opportunities to experience world’s bestpractice first hand. Melbourne and Taronga exhibits are finished aren’t they?
• Elephant breeding and calf rearing. In 2006, Perth Zoo was the only elephant holding facility in the region working on an elephant breeding programme. Successfully achieving a pregnancy is just the beginning. Other factors crucial for the survival of the mother and baby will be: appropriate exercise regimes; management of the birthing process; knowledge of post-partum care; and, if necessary to ensure the survival of the calf, hand-rearing techniques.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The knowledge and experience gained from undertaking this study will enhance efforts to make a contribution towards maintaining the highest possible standards in Australian elephant facilities in a number of ways:
1. The dissemination of information to the zoo community and the non-specialist community through the Fellowship Report.
2. The preparation and presentation of articles for Australian zoo keeping journals.
3. Presentations to Perth Zoo staff, volunteers and visitors and interested community groups.
4. Participate in national and international conferences.
5. The use of newly acquired expertise and experience to augment the already high standards of elephant care at Perth Zoo.
6. To join managers of elephant holding facilities in the Australian region in encouraging elephant staff to undertake work experience with colleagues in other facilities – both national and international.
7. To continue the work started on this study tour by looking for opportunities to visit elephant holding facilities throughout the Australasian region, work with their elephant staff and share knowledge and expertise. 8. Maintain international and national professional contacts as an important resource in maintaining the highest possible standards of elephant husbandry in the region.
The study has offered me the opportunity for considerable professional development in the form of information, observation, practical hands-on experience and establishing personal contacts with international experts in elephant management. Having returned to Australia, this experience will be a valuable resource for my colleagues at Perth Zoo and will assist managers in the region to formulate and implement effective policy decisions relating to elephant management and breeding.
My hope is that this Fellowship study will make a small contribution towards reaching the goal of all elephant holding facilities with a commitment to captive elephant breeding: the first birth of an elephant in Australasia as part of a breeding program, I wish to express my appreciation to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust for the opportunity to undertake this study tour.
The Churchill fellowship has not only provided me with the means to pursue extensive professional developmen, but also made it possible for me to make a contribution towards the preservation of the largest living land mammal on our planet today: that amazingly socially complex, sensitive, intelligent and charismatic mega-fauna – the elephant. John Conroy, 2006 Churchill Fellow. July, 2007
