Perth Zoo Why did they stop riding elephants at Perth Zoo?

[Johnpaul21]

Anyone else remember when the keepers used to ride the elephants at PZ? Why did they stop?

 

[Jaiden]

Anyone else rememberView attachment 778915 when the keepers used to ride the elephants at PZ? Why did they stop?View attachment 778914

It looks quite funny since that is not something we would see today

 

[Jaiden]

Anyone else rememberView attachment 778915 when the keepers used to ride the elephants at PZ? Why did they stop?View attachment 778914

They stoped since it would of hurt the Elephants backs a it was dangerous especially Putra Mas now that he has grown up.

 

[Johnpaul21]

I mean thats Permai so it wasn't that long ago... I'm pretty sure it was around 2014

 

[Jaiden]

Wow I thought that they stoped in 2001

 

[Jambo]

Anyone else rememberView attachment 778915 when the keepers used to ride the elephants at PZ? Why did they stop?View attachment 778914

They stoped since it would of hurt the Elephants backs a it was dangerous especially Putra Mas now that he has grown up.

I mean thats Permai so it wasn't that long ago... I'm pretty sure it was around 2014

This was when the elephants were worked with utilising free contact, as was the case with most of the elephants regionally.

Putra Mas (like all adult bulls) would've been too dangerous to work with, so they most likely stop working with him in free contact once he matured.

I too also remember seeing keepers at Melbourne 'riding' the elephants like this. It was a behaviour commonly performed back over in Asia, so was still utilised over here too. It's a very risky interaction however, so you can see why the zoos stopped.

I know Melbourne and Taronga went free contact circa 2014 following an incident that happened at Taronga where one of their keepers was injured by a young bull. Perth still used free contact with their elephants up until a few years ago I believe.

 

[Steve Robinson]

They stoped since it would of hurt the Elephants backs a it was dangerous especially Putra Mas now that he has grown up.

Seriously?

 

[Johnpaul21]

Seriously?[/QUO

Seriously?

Yeah I don't think either that they ever rode Putra mas... An I'm pretty sure I does not hurt the elephants at all dues to their size compered to horses and they can hold far more weight. I'm sorry Jaiden but I think your info may be incorrect.

 

[Jaiden]

Yeah I probably wrong I just said what I thought I think @Jambo had the right information

This was when the elephants were worked with utilising free contact, as was the case with most of the elephants regionally.

Putra Mas (like all adult bulls) would've been too dangerous to work with, so they most likely stop working with him in free contact once he matured.

I too also remember seeing keepers at Melbourne 'riding' the elephants like this. It was a behaviour commonly performed back over in Asia, so was still utilised over here too. It's a very risky interaction however, so you can see why the zoos stopped.

I know Melbourne and Taronga went free contact circa 2014 following an incident that happened at Taronga where one of their keepers was injured by a young bull. Perth still used free contact with their elephants up until a few years ago I believe.